Resident Evil Outbreak: Daylight
by Chaosdachamp
Summary: A dramatic novelization of the online videogame. The final chapters are now submitted! Many thanks to those who continued to email me despite my deserting this story, I hope you all enjoy the rest!
1. Default Chapter

Resident Evil Outbreak: Daylight

1. Prelude to Darkness

The rat lay on its side in a puddle of sewer water, blood seeping from it's gaping wound. Despite its attempts to lick the wound of disease and it's bleeding the rat succumbed to the effects of a sickness that grew steadily over the past few hours. It began to feel life seeping from its body faster than the blood from the bite, a bite it had received from what it thought were its most noble companions.

Hours earlier the rat went hunting with its pack for food. There were eight of them in all. Most of them hadn't eaten in awhile and they were becoming more desperate every day, scrounging through bits of trash for something that would sustain their hunger. After a short time with little result, the pack happened upon a promising specimen. A tube with a strange liquid inside lay at the bottom of the sewer, it's liquid pouring it contents out of the glass tube. The rats, seeing something that could possibly be edible, licked and drank the strange liquid eagerly, looking for some sense of nourishment. They quickly lost interest, however, when one of the rats happened upon an old maggoty hunk of hamburger meat thrown out of the bar above the sewer.

The rat in question, however, began to notice strange changes in his companions. They grew increasingly sick and squealed in pain a few hours after their feast, and several of them grew weaker and weaker, until many of them stopped moving altogether. The rat smelled their bodies and determined them to be dead. The rat lamented the loss of his pack for a short time, until one of the lifeless creature's body began to move again. Over zealous of his companion's apparent resurrection, the rat quickly scampered forth to embrace his companion's awakening, for the two had developed a bond with each other closer than their bonds between the rest of the pack, and smelled his companion eagerly. An emptiness filled its companion's eyes, an emptiness the rat had not seen there before, and quickly and suddenly it snapped at the rat with its strong, fierce teeth.

Frightened and surprised, the rat took flight, confusion towards its companion's sudden betrayal. The rat was fast, but its companion displayed an incredible speed it did not once possess, and soon its companion was upon the rat, and quickly sunk its teeth into the rat's hind leg. The rat let out a shriek as its former companion ripped and tore at the rat's leg with a ferocity the rat had never before experienced, and was somehow able to squeeze itself into a pipe away from his newfound enemy. Its companion had also, seemingly, grown a bit in size, and was now too big to give chase through the pipe, much to the rat's relief.

For hours the rat traversed the darkness of the sewers, now noticing that what was once his former pack of companions had been reanimated, much like its attacker, and began a hunt through the sewer for anything that lived and breathed. Some even momentarily turned on each other, their violence wild and unyielding. The rat finally found a safe place to lick its wounds, only to find its efforts futile and eventually lose all energy in its small body. Its hunger grew, stronger and fiercer than it had ever felt, even when forced to starve for months, and the sight of its own blood made it excited. It did not understand these feelings, but it did understand the fear, and its inability to take action. Slowly and painfully life seeped from its body as it closed its eyelids and died.

Within moments the eyelids opened again, but the ebony black that once permeated its eye was replaced by a different kind of darkness, an empty, cold, death like gaze. It's teeth grew and it's size increased, and it stood up from its cold grave and walked down the sewer to search again for its companions, and something to eat.

What it found was loud explosions of fire. A giant creature was roaming the sewers, much larger than the rat, and with it were the screams of human beings. The rat searched and followed the sounds, and saw the source of those screams, a man dressed in a UBCS uniform being bludgeoned to death by an immense hunk of organic flesh, an immense, ever staring eye protruding its shoulder. The rat scouted around for awhile longer, passing by and over various corpses of other uniformed humans who had been slaughtered. They reminded the rat of its companions, but they did not interest him. No, because they were already dead.

The rat searched until it found one left, one that was still breathing. The rat climbed his body and stood atop his chest, watching the human's chest rise and drop with his breath, and screeched out a triumphant cry. Within moments its companions emerged from the darkness of the sewer and surrounded the human, and each one, including the rat, began to rip and tear into his flesh hungrily, despite the fact satisfying their thirst for blood only grew stronger and deeper with every ounce of blood that passed down their throats and into their dead stomachs. Some of them chewed on his fingertips, for those produced a good deal of blood, others cut through the black mask that covered his eyes and feasted on his immense, wide and frightful eyes, the UBCS soldier unable to retaliate due to the severity of his injuries, much like Gulliver's Travels. They ate the human for what seemed like hours until his face was hardly recognizable, and the rats found that their hunger had intensified in the same way a drug addict builds a tolerance to their favorite drug and requires twice the intake to satisfy their urges. Now dead, they left what remained of the human in the filth of the sewer and decided the best place to quench this thirst was above the sewers, where many more fleshy humans resided, and together they all climbed through the plumbing pipes and made their way towards the surface and streets of Raccoon City.


	2. Chapter 2

2. Everything Dies

The loud, droning wale of the flat-line filled the operating room with a sense of dread, a silence that contrasted the frantic yet controlled energy of the surgeon and his assistants. The patient was dead, despite the greatest efforts of everybody in the room.

"He's gone," the surgeon said, sadly.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Hamilton," the nurse said, looking into the masked man's eyes, that were still focused on the patient, seemingly searching for something he couldn't find no matter how hard he tried. "We did what we could."

"There is only so much," the surgeon uttered, interrupting himself, because he knew it didn't matter what he said. Nothing would change.

The surgeon walked out of the room with his head hung low and into the washing room. There he pulled off his surgeon's mask and stood in front of the faucet, and stared back at the worn, aging man that he had become.

George Hamilton was a master surgeon, the best in Raccoon City. He was renowned for his skill with a scalpel, and had performed many operations in the past, not one of them had ended in tragedy or undergone some error. His work was often viewed as masterly, and he took pride in his inherent ability to make people better. And yet, he had failed this time.

But what could I do, George asked himself. The patient had arrived in a terrible state, far beyond any surgeon could handle. He had already lost an incredible amount of blood, and the wound on his neck was great; the damage his assailant had done, at least they assumed he was assaulted, was of the sort that only brought death with him. This wasn't the first time a patient died on George Hamilton's operating table, either, but he couldn't help feeling so helpless, so guilty.

But I save lives; that is my job, George thought to himself. No, I haven't the power to do that; I simply patch them up, I give them more time, because everything dies eventually. Yes, that's it; it was his time to go. My hands cannot prolong life when it is fate's hand to be dealt.

But no matter how many times he told himself that, it never cured the ailment he felt inside. The longing guilt that he should have been able to do something, that somehow it was his fault.

He pulled off his bloody, gore-covered gloves one by one and tossed them into the biohazard container, then turn on the faucet and thoroughly washed his hands for over a minute, wishing that the guilt he felt could somehow flow through his veins and out the pours of his hands into the sink drain and down into the darkness of the sewers below. When he was finally finished he searched for a towel, but could find none. He then opened a cabinet and reached up high for the paper towels, when he suddenly felt a stinging sensation on his finger. He exclaimed at the pain and dropped the towels to the floor, then looked up after glancing at his pricked finger; the backside of a rat could barely be seen scurrying to the back of the cabinet.

"Dammit," George said holding his bleeding finger.

George washed his finger off and wrapped his finger in a bandage, changed into his lab coat and made his way to his office. He passed his secretary, who stood up.

"Dr. Hamilton," she said.

"Not now, please," George said, waving her off. "I just need to collect myself right now."

"I'm sorry Dr. Hamilton, but your wife came by earlier today and left this for you," she handed George a package.

George looked at it with a sense of dread, and his knees and elbows began to shake with fear. He ripped open the package and confirmed his beliefs; they were the divorce papers.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Hamilton," she said as she sat back into her seat.

George slowly stepped through the door of his office and put the papers on the desk, then slumped down into his comfortable high chair and stared at them. He knew to expect them; he and his wife had already separated, and he knew that time was only a factor until the inevitable occurred. Much like death.

Time. The walls of George's office were covered in clocks, locks of various kinds and sizes, crafted from different countries. He even had a different wrist-watch for each day of the week. Time surrounded him, engulfed him, conspired against him every second of the day; it watched him as a wolf stalked an unsuspecting prey, and when it sunk its fangs into him he felt powerless to its wrath. His very job circulated around time, he only had so much time before his patient's status would overthrow itself into peril, he had appointments, dates, meetings to attend to, time swallowed him whole.

And yet he never seemed to have time for what mattered. His wife always used to tell him he never had enough time, for her or for anything else. For someone with so many clocks, she had told him , you never seem to have much time for anything except yourself.

George pulled his chair up and decided it was time for him to accept the truth; he would no longer live under the delusion that he still had time to spare. He was growing older now, and it was time to free Collette from the cell he had forced her to live in. George reach into his desk for a ball point pen and began to read through the papers.


	3. Chapter 3

3. No Rest for the Wicked

With fists clenched, her right hand strangling a piece of paper, legs pumping and normally well-groomed hair thrown in disarray, Alyssa Ashcroft stormed through the hallways of the Raccoon Today building with the ferocity of a tiger. With incredible speed she shoved her way through doors like rushing water unleashed from a dam, as other workers in the building quickly stepped out of her way, knowing full well the wrath of this woman once enraged (and perhaps even without provocation).

She burst into the editor's office and shoved his secretary aside, almost knocking her down, and shoved the door to the office so hard it banged against the wall with great force. There she stood, chest heaving, a wild and lunatic expression on her face as she tossed the crumbled up memo in her hand at the editor, caught by surprise by her sudden entrance.

"You sorry bastard," Alyssa bellowed. "Who do you think you are to toy with me like this? We had a DEAL!"

"Miss Ashcroft," editor Stanley Spiegelman said with a cocky smile. "Aren't we a bit feisty today? I certainly hope you transgress that energy into a good solid article for me."

"You said if I did that stupid article on the high school you'd give me the big one, the kidnappings and the murders and the incident at the mansion," Alyssa said, banging her fist against the desk to emphasize her point. "What the hell is this? Some stupid story on a bar now! Who the hell do you think I am, buster! I am a professional, dammit! This small time crap is not going to cut it!"

"Please Alyssa, calm down," Spiegelman said, getting up from his desk and walking around it towards Alyssa. "Your yelling like a banshee won't help your situation."

"Oh really," Alyssa straightened her hair a bit. "Then you tell me what will Stan, cuz right now you got a lot of explaining to do."

"I guess there's no other option than to be brutally honest now," Spiegelman said, now standing face to face with Alyssa. "The truth is, Alyssa, I don't like you. Everyone else in this building may think differently, but to be honest everything about you sickens me, and your attitude and lack of proper respect for me is not changing my mind any quicker."

"Oh really? And why is that Stanley, because I don't kiss your ass like every other gutless worm that steps into this room? Because I don't drop to my knees and beg for a good story like that red headed bimbo I always see in here, and always seems to get the stuff worth giving a damn about? Or is she doing more than begging, Stanley? That sounds like a really riveting story!"

The smirk on Stanley's face quickly disappeared. "That's enough, Alyssa."

"Oh but we've only begun to scratch the surface!"

"I know why don't respect me, Alyssa. It's because you can't stand to be subservient to any man, no matter who it is, because you have some sort of feminist issue. The idea that I, a man, am in charge here, and have the power to steer your career wherever I damn well please just eats at the back of your brain, doesn't it? It gets your titties in a twister and kicks your PMS, or whatever it is you people get, into full gear, because you know that I control your destiny, and at the slightest whim, I can CRUSH you like the insignificant bugs that you ARE."

Alyssa stood firmly, the boiling rage inside her constantly rising.

"Nothing to say now, Miss Ashcroft?" The cocky smirk reemerged on Spiegelman's face, his body now in full swagger. "How about you get to work on that story for me now? I'm sure someone will be interested. After all, you being the talented journalist that you are, I'm sure even you can turn this into the story of the century! Now get out of my office before I call the police."

The two stood eye to eye with each other for a few seconds longer, Alyssa looking on the verge of exploding, until Alyssa took a few steps away towards the door.

"Alyssa," Stanley said. "If you really want that story, I can still give it to you. But, you'd have to do one favor for me first."

Stanley unzipped his pants and laughed.

That's it, Alyssa thought, as she quickly stepped forward and, like a professional punter, launched her high-heeled foot right into Stanley Spiegelman's crotch. Spiegelman let out a girlish howl and crumbled to the floor in a fetal position. Alyssa fixed her hair again and looked down at the helpless editor, a smirk on her face.

"God that felt good."


	4. Chapter 4

4. Heaven Can Wait

The dark halls of Raccoon City High School echoed the clip clop clip clop of footsteps, which broke the silence that pervaded the long endless hallway, lined on both sides with battered and bruised lockers. The school's security guards, Mark Wilkins and his good friend Bob, patrolled the empty halls.

"And then the little bastard bit me," Bob said, holding up his left hand, which was wrapped in medical taping. "I wanted to teach the little punk a lesson but he ran off before I could nab him, and I'm too old to be chasing some half-witted punk teenager."

"Yeah," Mark said. "These kids today, they don't got no respect for nobody. Mah son, you know how he is. He thinks he's a rebel, a real tough guy. Thinks he can jus' do whatevah the hell he wants. Ah try tah teach 'im, tell 'im things, but he won't have it. These kids, they think they know everythin' there is tah know about the world."

"Sometimes I wish they hadn't abolished corporal punishment. I got my lickings back in the day, and if there's any kids that really need it, it's these ones today."

"I guess," Mark said, his thoughts drifting as he scanned the hallways. "I mean, Ah'm not a violent man an' I don' wanna beat mah son, or any child. Ah was in Vietnam, but ah was only there ta' protect mah country, mah family. It's a man's duty tah fight for the country that allows him tah put a roof over his head. But, these kids today don't got no knowledge ah that, what it's like tah be really truly poor, the dehumanization a' beggin' on th' street corner for food. Ah spoilt mah son ah suppose, but ah can't help it. Ah had so lil' growin' up, ah jus' want 'im ta' have everythin' he needs an' most a what he wants. Ah don' got time for 'im either, not even for his momma. But I been plannin' a vacation, jus' the three a' us, so we kin get ta' know each other better. Ya' know? Spend some, quality time, share each other's thoughts a lil'. It'll do us some good, ah think."

"You're a good man Mark, you know that," Bob said, putting his wrapped hand on Mark's shoulder. "And Jerome, he's a good kid. Just got his priorities mixed up a bit, needs to mature some more. I know it'll turn out alright for you. I just know it."

"Thank you Bob, I appreciate your kindness."

Bob and Mark patrolled the hallways for a bit longer until Mark heard a sound.

"You hear somethin'?"

"What is it?"

"Here. Quiet."

Mark unholstered his gun and leaned his body against the lockers, then crept his way towards the door. Cautiously he peered through the door and discerned from the darkness a shadowy figure slithering its way between the desks and towards the back of the classroom. Mark sent hand signals to Bob, communicating he saw one suspect, and instructed him to follow close by. Together the two entered the dark classroom and maneuvered themselves between the desks, both ensuring his footsteps made as little noise as possible. Upon reaching the door, Mark gripped the handle and listened, the sounds of glass clinking against each other. Mark looked at Bob, who was standing with his pistol at the ready, reassuring Mark he would secure the room. Mark then slowly turned the knob to minimize the noise and looked inside. A hooded figure rummaged through the various test tubes, chemicals and other equipment in the cabinets of the thin, claustrophobic room. Mark aimed his gun at the figure's back.

"Don' move."

Startled, the figure dropped a beaker to the floor that shattered upon impact. He struggled to keep hold of the various instruments he was trying to carry in both arms, cradled like a baby.

"Turn around, slowly, an' put those items back where ya' got them from."

The hooded figure did as he was told and raised his arms in the air. Mark instructed him to turn around again and proceeded to search him, ensuring he didn't have any weapons, then grabbed him from the neck and escorted him out of the room after holstering his gun again. Outside Bob saw Mark had taken care of the situation and holstered his firearm.

"What were you doin' in there, boy?" Mark asked.

"Nothin'." The figure asked.

"No doubt trying to steal school property," Bob said angrily. "Probably to sell it for some weed, huh kid? Is that what you were doing?"

The boy didn't answer, and only bowed his head in shame, the hood of his sweater covering his face.

"Who are you anyway?" Bob said as he pulled the hood off the boy's head.

Mark's jaw dropped.

"Jerome, no," Mark said, stunned.

Jerome didn't answer, only frowned.

"Jesus," Bob said.

"Jerome," Mark inquired, loosening his grip from his son. "What in sam hell do ya' think yer doin'! Breakin' inta a chem. Lab an' stealin' school property? What you got ta' say fer yerself, boy?"

"What do you care," Jerome said bitterly.

"Jerome please, ah'm yer father, Ah-"

"This another lecture, pop? You gonna tell me I did bad again?"

Ah've had enough a' your back talk son," Mark said loudly, his voice bellowing high above Jerome's with his increasing frustration. "Yer commitin' a felony, ya' hear? This is serious, son. From here, you kin only get worse."

"What the hell do you know," Jerome said. "You don't even know anything about me. How could you possibly know my future?"

Mark stared angrily at Jerome, uncertain what to do now.

"Mark, what are we going to do about this situation?" Bob asked.

Mark said nothing for awhile, then finally made a decision.

"Ah try tah give ya' everythin' ah can Jerome. Ah thought ah taught you better than this, but apparently ah really don' know enough about you. So ah'm gonna give you the benefit of a hard education on what happens when you go down th' path you currently trekkin'."

"What are you sayin' pop," Jerome said confusedly. "You're gonna turn me in? Your own son?"

"Ah don' know what else ta' do, son," Mark said regretfully. "Maybe if you spend some time in a cold, rough cell, you kin think about what you doin' an' consider yer options."

"You're crazy! I'm your son, dammit!"

"Ah'm sorry Jerome," Mark said, apprehending Jerome.

"Mark," Bob said pleadingly. "There has to be some other way."

"There ain't no other way, Bob. Ah tried, but this is where ah draw the line."

"I can't believe this," Jerome complained.

"Quiet boy," Mark said aggressively. "Yer a criminal now, an' the police will deal with you."

"You're being too tough on the boy," Bob said.

"Maybe it's what he needs, Bob. Ah sure as hell ain't getting' through ta' him."

Mark escorted Jerome out of the room, holding both hands behind his back and gripping his neck tightly. Bob shook his head and sighed, then followed behind.


	5. Chapter 5

5. So Naïve

David King grunted as he tugged on his wrench tighter and tighter, which was fastened to a pipe on the immense boiler in the basement of the Apple Inn, but couldn't budge it an inch. Frustrated, he released the wrench and kicked a metal toolbox on the floor then wiped beads of sweat from his forehead. He was in that steaming boiler room all day trying to relieve the growing pressure in that huge bulk of a machine, but he still couldn't seem to stabilize the boiler, at least not to his liking. It was his first day on the job, and as soon as he heard the louder than normal chugging of those machines even from his tiny maintenance office (actually it was more like a congested, murky closet than a room) that something wasn't right, and spent hours trying to fix the problem but failed.

"Shit," he complained. "There's only one thing left to do."

David packed up his materials and stepped toward the long ladder that led to the second floor, when out of the corner of his eye he saw something move behind the boiler.

"Hey," he said. "Who's there?"

No answer. David piped up a loose pipe from the floor and scanned the boilers slowly, inching his way between the two giant machines to the back of the room. As he neared the wall and peeked around the boiler, something lunged from a dark corner of the wall and scratched fiercely at his face. David instinctively stepped back and looked at it; it was a rat, a rat bigger than any other he'd seen; its cold dark eyes seemingly blood shot.

"You piece of," David said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his folding knife. But in a flash, the rat burst between the boilers and slid into a small venting shaft to safety. David cursed again and put his knife away, then wiped the small trickle of blood from the cut he received.

"Looks like you win this one ratty," David said dropping the steel pipe. "Next time, I make you my pin cushion."

Once David reached the second floor a small walkie-talkie on his tool belt came to life.

"David," a man's static voice urged from the device. "I have another job for you. A guest needs the water checked in the bathroom, and the TV set is malfunctioning. The room number is,"

David unhooked the device and interrupted. "Mr. Chamberlain, I have to talk to you about the boiler."

For a moment there was no response, then the man replied. "Make it quick."

David trekked the hallways until he reached the owner's office, Mr. William Chamberlain. Inside the room was an old man whose white hair resided only on the sides of his head just above his ears. His aging, wrinkled and crusty face with its countless folds made his ever-existing scowl look even more bitter and tired than most his age. David entered the office.

"What is it?" Chamberlain said.

"The boiler," David said.

"Didn't you fix that already?"

"I can't, not in the state it's currently in. I was able to stabilize it a bit, but I need to shut it down so I can get deeper into it. You're going to have to tell everybody in the hotel that there won't be water for a couple of hours."

"Are you insane? Do you know the people we have in here? We have guests in the sweet, who expect to be able to take their bubble bath. What the hell do you think they're gonna say, when I tell them my maintenance man couldn't do his damn job, and they've got to wait till tomorrow morning for their bath?"

"Mr. Chamberlain, you have to shut that thing down. It's getting increasingly unstable, and it's very dangerous for you to just ignore a situation like this."

"Don't tell me how to do my goddamn job, you hear me?" Chamberlain crouched over his desk threateningly, like a lion about to pounce. "You're a fucking plumber, I'm the goddamn owner of this place, you will NOT tell me what to do. Do you understand me?"

David frowned and didn't respond.

"Now get your ass up to third floor, and do your fucking job, like you're supposed to. GET OUT."

David fumed to himself, muttering curses and kicking the wall as he approached the third floor suite. He contemplated scratching up Mr. Chamberlain's car with his folding knife after he went off duty, or maybe even sticking the old fart himself, put him out of everybody else's misery (especially his.) He knocked on the door to the suite and waited. After a few seconds the door opened, and a small child, around twelve years old, answered.

"Hello," the girl said. "Are you the handy man?"

"Yeah," David said in his deep, low and gruff voice.

"Good," the girl said, stepping aside to let him in.

"What's the problem?"

"The toilet isn't working right, and the TV is all fuzzy."

David walked into the bathroom and quickly scanned it, then opened the tank. He peered over his shoulder and noticed the girl was leaning against the doorway watching him innocently. David ignored her and continued working.

"My dad's a doctor," she said.

"Great," David in an uncaring tone.

"Or at least that's what the people he works with call him. I think he's more like a teacher, I think, cuz he works at the university. Doctors work at hospitals."

"Right."

"Do you have a diary?"

David didn't answer.

"Well, do you?"

"It's fixed," David said ignoring her question.

"Oh."

David walked over to the living room and turned on the television, lowering the volume and studying it. The girl sat on the bed and kicked her feet against it.

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Stop kicking the bed."

"Why?"

"Because it's pissing me off, and I can't think."

She complied.

"My dad tells me to write in my diary, about my feelings and stuff," she said. "But it doesn't help me. I still feel lonely; it's just that now my feelings are on a paper. It doesn't change anything. I still think about my mom, and wonder where she is. Do you ever feel sad, but you feel like you can't talk to anyone about it, cuz it won't change anything anyway?"

Again David didn't answer.

"You don't talk a lot, do you? Are you one of those anti-soshmal people my dad works with? He says you people are,"

"Shut up," David growled as he turned towards her. "Just shut up, now."

The girl frowned and David went back to work.

"What's your name?" she asked.

David hesitated for awhile. "David."

"David. My name's Anna, you could call me Anne though if you want. Some people do."

"Fine."

David rapped the side of the television set and the smiling face of Raccoon City's renowned sportscaster and former college football hero, Greg Valentino, his pearly whites on display.

"There," David said. "Don't touch any of the wires back there. I reattached them using custom materials. There shouldn't be a problem as long as you don't mess with them."

"Thank you, David!" she said gleefully.

"Humph." David said as he walked towards the door.

"David?" she asked, stopping him from leaving.

"What?"

"I'm sorry if I bugged you," she said sadly. "My dad tells me I talk a lot, and adults don't like that, cuz they aren't used to sharing personal things like I do. I just haven't had a lot of friends, and I get lonely."

David stood in the doorway. "I don't have a lot of friends either. You should write in your diary more. It helps, but it takes a long time."

David closed the door behind him as Anna thought for a minute, then picked up her diary from the desk at the back of the room and began writing.

_Today I met a man named David._


	6. Chapter 6

6. Your Timing Sucks

"Aw shit on me," Kevin Ryman said as he read the recently opened letter from the S.T.A.R.S. labeled envelope.

"Lemme guess Kev," said Aaron. "Third time's the charm?"

"Man," complained Kevin as he scratched his head. "I did better though. This test is pretty tough."

"Maybe if you actually tried studying it would help. S.T.A.R.S. is elite man, they aren't gonna take just any slacker off the force."

"But they got kids in there. I saw one of em' that looked way too young to be in a Special Tactics force like S.T.A.R.S."

"If a kid beat you out of a position in that, I'd start questioning whether you just aren't exactly Special Tactics material. You're a good cop Kev, just a little too laid back. What'd they think of your marksmanship?"

"Same as before, A!" Kevin beamed, waving the report card like a kid with a shiny honor roll certificate.

"See man, you're the best shot on the force. We need you here."

"Yeah but," Kevin said, sitting on the bench in front of Aaron, who was rummaging through his locker. "I just know I can make it in there. Just, gotta get my act together."

"I know what this is all about," Aaron said with a sly smirk on his face. "You're after one of those chicks that walks around in here every now and then, and happens to be in S.T.A.R.S. That Valentine," Aaron let out a lustful wolf whistle. "That is some piece of work. I don't many Task workers who go to work in getups like she does, and get away with it! But I hear they don't really give ya' the time of day unless you're one of em'. It's obvious your aspirations are "waist high" if you get what I mean!" Aaron accompanied his innuendo with a swift pelvic thrust, which brought forth a laugh from Kevin.

"Nah," Kevin said waving off Aaron's suggestion. "She's a looker I'll give her that, but I don't really think she's my type. I've got my eye on another one, one that I've seen down at the shooting gallery."

"In the station?"

"Nah public. She had her hair tied up behind her head, and she generally wears track pants with a cut mid riff, and sunglasses on her head. Great, athletic body, and she's an incredible shot. Kinda grumpy though, always brushes off my wily charms, but I think she's just playing hard to get."

"Always want what you can't have, huh Kev?"

"It wouldn't be me if that wasn't the case!"

"So your femme fatale got a name?"

"I'll let you know when I pry it from her cold dead hands."

Kevin began gathering his things from his locker as a young, well-groomed officer in similar attire steps in. Kevin saw him and stood up with arms welcomingly spread.

"Holy shit," he said. "Bout time you showed up!"

"Kev man!" the young upstart said as the two gave a manly embrace, clapping hands and patting each other on the back with their fists. "Great to see ya! I start patrolling tonight, can't wait!"

"Hey Ryman," Aaron said while decked out in his underwear. "You gonna introduce me to your new girlfriend or am I gonna hafta stand here in my drawers until I get a confession?"

"Where's my manners?" Kevin wove his arms between the two in the typical introductory manner. "Aaron, we got some new, young blood joining the force; my old pal, Leon S. Kennedy."

"Howdy do, mad'am!" Leon said, mockingly bowing to Aaron courteously.

"I'm red all over!" Aaron laughs. "Welcome to the force, kid. You got night shift duty?"

"Yeah I'm kind of a night owl," Leon said.

"Shame we didn't get the same shift," Kevin said. "It'd be nice to tear up the town like we used to back home!"

"I don't think a place like Raccoon could handle us together!" Leon said, reminiscing on past memories.

"Well," Aaron said. "I'm sure you guys had your times back then, but the kids today are pretty bad. I just locked one up earlier today for breaking into the high school to steal stuff from the chemistry lab. Probably gonna sell em' to some crack head. His own dad turned him in, now that's something I won't look forward to when I have kids."

Aaron finished buttoning up his shirt. "Well kid, I hope you have a good night on your shift."

"Thanks Aaron," Leon said waving him off. "So what are you gonna do tonight Kev?"

"Aw well," Kev said slinging his gym bag around his shoulder. "I figure I'll swing by J's Bar and hit on the cute new waitress they got there, see if the old Ryman touch can still hit the spot! She's a little Christian girl with a nice butt, you'd probably dig her! Then I'll probably drink myself into oblivion."

"You going out like that?" Leon noted that Kevin was still dressed in officer attire.

"Of course!" Kevin said. "The ladies love a man in uniform. Remember that, kid! Oh, since you might still be new, go talk to Officer Raymond, the guy who looks like Clint Eastwood, so he can assign you a squad car and show you the basics. And hey, if you're up for it next week," Kevin pulled out two tickets from his bag. "I got ticks to the ball game! It'll be sweet!"

"Oh awesome man," Leon said brightly. "You can count on it! Shame we can't catch the one in town."

"Yeah, maybe you can use that badge to get in there and catch a peek at the cheerleaders' room!" The two laughed heartily. "You gotta use the uniform man, I'm tellin' you it work! Okay, enough chit chat with the newbies, I gotta swing. Enjoy yourself!"

"Thanks Kev, don't get too comfy with that bottle!"

Kevin and Leon exchanged one final buddy handshake before Kevin proceeds to the exit of the locker room.

"Hey Kev," Leon called after him. "You get your S.T.A.R.S. app answered yet?"

The smile on Kevin's face disappeared as he stopped in his tracks.

"Erm," he said calling over his shoulder. "No not yet. You know these Special Tactics forces, they can handle field work pretty well but when it comes to paper shuffling, well, their timing sucks!"

Leon laughed, recalling one of Kevin's signature phrases from their childhood and an inside joke they shared. "Okay man, have a good one."

"Yeah," Kevin said as he turned his head around, his fake smile fading again, a sadness overtaking it that he refused to let Leon see. "You too, Leon."


	7. Chapter 7

7. I Should Be More Afraid…

Yoko Suzuki sat up in her bed in a cold sweat gasping for breath. The darkness of the room surprised her, at first giving her the impression she was dead. She sat up, holding her throbbing head and trying to figure out where she was, her head spinning nearly out of control. She called out for somebody, anybody, but the darkness gave no answer. Slowly and carefully she climbed out of the bed, and with her hands she felt her way into another room, this one with a light switch. She flicked the switch on, and was startled to see another person staring back at her.

But no, it wasn't somebody else. It was her reflection.

Her reflection stood in the bathroom wearing a plain white t-shirt and gym shorts, staring back at her in a sense of wonderment. She didn't recognize herself.

She looked in the sink, and noticed long bits of dark hair strewn about the counter top, a pair of scissors resting beside them suggestively. She put her hands on her short hair. Is this mine? She asked herself, feeling as if the answer was in the back of her head just out of reach. Why, she wondered, but stopped herself halfway through after noticing something else on the sink.

She lifted a small bottle of pills and looked at them closely, seeing only a blur; she couldn't see very well. She put the bottle down and searched the bathroom for more clues, then found two small containers; a pair of glasses, and contact lenses.

The lenses fit perfectly.

She looked at the bottle again, and though the medical jargon on the label seemed strangely familiar to her she couldn't discern what it meant. Or maybe she didn't want to.

She made her way back to the dark room, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. It appeared to be a typical apartment that overlooked the streets of Raccoon City. She searched until she found a small lamp, which she quickly turned on. Around the room were various scientific books that seemed very familiar to her, but for some reason she couldn't grasp why and the puzzle itched and poked at the back of her brain.

A more thorough search revealed to her a backpack, the label Raccoon U on its front. She searched through it a bit and found a key card deep within it, a picture of a young girl with dark shoulder length hair, thick glasses and an orange uniform, the symbol of an Umbrella emblazoned on it. The girl's name was Yoko Suzuki.

Who is Yoko Suzuki? She thought to herself, the itch at the back of her mind growing increasingly irritable.

She then looked at the card again. Umbrella, she thought. What is that? She brought the card key over to the mirror, looked at the picture again, then compared it to herself.

Is that me? Is my name Yoko?

She felt so confused she began to panic. Never before had she experienced something like this. She couldn't remember anything.

Yoko stuffed the card key in her backpack and paced around the room, looking for anything she could find that would refresh her memory. But aside from the various stacks of books, she found no other piece to the puzzle she was struggling with.

But for some reason, the name Umbrella stuck out to her.

"Umbrella," she said out loud, hoping in some way that the verbal recitation would bring about some sort of mental image, anything at all.

Nothing.

As any person in a similar situation would be inclined to, Yoko felt a flurry of panic and frustration overcome her being. She started to consider whether she was mad, insane, and everything in the room was a figment dreamt up in her mind. Yes, maybe that was it; she was dreaming, it was all a horrible nightmare.

She pinched herself hard, leaving a mark, and yelped loudly at the pain. She sighed dejectedly to discover that, for the moment, this was her reality.

She gave another look out to the city, it's lights glimmering in the still young darkness of the night; the sun had just recently set, and the lights of the distant football stadium shone brightly. Maybe the city, she thought. Maybe if I see the city, I will remember.

Quickly she searched out the closet, and instinctively pulled out a pair of blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and brown dress shirt. She realized that the manner in which she did this felt completely natural, as if she had done so a million times before, even to the point she could do it in near darkness, as the closet sat in the far end of the room which had yet to be lit by the small lamp. Maybe this really was her room, she thought.

After dressing herself, she searched the pockets of her jeans and found a key, which fit the door to the apartment perfectly. She found it hard to think now that this wasn't her room. She strapped the backpack on and locked the room.

She made her way to the streets of Raccoon City, which was bustling with life. Cautiously she walked down the sidewalk, glancing at the passersby hoping she may recognize somewhat, or maybe the other way around. She turned the corner and looked down the street, the sense of déjà vu she had hoped to acquire entirely absent.

Suddenly she felt a shove from behind her and fell to her knees, putting her hands out in front of her instinctively to avoid hitting the sidewalk face first. She looked up and saw a skinny, black man wearing a purple uniform looking down at her.

"Oh shit," he said. "Sorry bout that girl, you're a tiny thing aren't ya!"

The man put out a hand, offering his aid to her, and reluctantly she received it.

"Whoa," the man said as he helped her up. "Damn girl, you alright? Looks like you scraped up your hands pretty badly, sorry bout that!"

Yoko looked at her palms, which in fact had been bruised in her fall, one of them bleeding slightly.

"We got ta' stitch you up, woman! Can't allow a cute lil' Chinese girl like you go around with cuts on her tiny hands. That just ain't right!"

"A bathroom," she said. "Where is a bathroom?" Her stomach began to churn. "I feel sick."

"Hey," the man said. "I know I bumped you pretty hard, but c'mon it wasn't that bad!"

"Please," she begged. "I have to go to a bathroom."

"Okay okay," the man said. "I'm on my way somewhere that's got a bathroom. You can clean yo hands there, make sure they don't get infected or some shit, and this nice white girl can fix you up. Used to be a nurse or somethin'."

"Thank you," she said as the man lead the way.

"By the way, what's your name girly?" the man said.

She hesitated, then responded, "Yoko. Suzuki."

"Good to meet ya, Yoko!" the man said cheerfully. "The name's Jim Chapman! I work at the subway. It's no glorious job or anythin', but it gets me through, and I get to throw out my jams while I'm conductin' shit! Once I got some playah hatah all up in my shit though, tellin' me I should play more attention. But then I tell em' to just sit their grumpy ol' asses down and let Jim handle the train, it's his job after all!"

Jim reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a shiny coin, then flipped it into the air, caught it, and glanced at it in the palm of his hand.

"Heads. Good! Looks like you'll be bringin' me some sort of good luck today, Miss Suzuki!"

"What do you mean?"

"Luck my lady, it's what keeps the world moving! And it's what keeps ol' Jim chuggin' along as well. Maybe it's luck that we met. Or maybe ol' Jim's been sniffin' the white fairy dust a lil' too much! Either way, Jim's lucky coin is tellin' me you're alright!"

"Are you often lucky?"

"Sometimes," Jim responded. "We'll just hafta see what happens now, don't we? It'll be cool my Asian princess, don't you worry nothin' bout it!"

Jim then pulled out a small puzzle booklet and flipped the pages, grabbing a pencil he used as a place-holder, and jotted down something.

"Man," he complained. "This one's been givin' me problems all day, and I still can't get it. It's the last one I need, though. What's another word for amoeba? Hell, what IS an amoeba?"

"Amoeba," Yoko dictated with a strange expertise. "Any of various one-celled protozoans that lack permanent cell organs and occur especially in water and soil. Try protozoan, or paramecium." How did she know that?

With a dumbfounded look on his face, Jim measured the spaces required and the letters already established, confirming the accuracy of Yoko's dictation.

"Holy shit," he said gleefully. "That's right! Damn woman, where were you during my biology test! You're like a thesaurus, I bet you can fill three a' these books up in no time!"

Yoko giggled at Jim's compliment.

"Well," Jim said with hands outstretched as if he had just arrived at the Taj Mahal. "Here we are!"

Before the two stood none other than J's Bar, it's flickering sign welcoming one and all. Jim opened the door for Yoko and the two stepped inside, the busy noises of the city streets replaced with blaring jazz guitar from the jukebox in the back of the bar.


	8. Chapter 8

8. The Plague Cometh

Cindy Lennox clasped her hands together in prayer, her eyes closed and her face serene. She asked God to guide her, to help her concentrate on her job, to be nice to all the customers and to not make any mistakes, or at least as few as possible. And if or when she did, she asked God to help her keep from crying, to stay calm and apologize, and she prayed the customers would understand. She prayed for all the customers she would be waiting on, she prayed for Will, the bar's cook and bartender. She even prayed for Jack, as grumpy, rude, and negative as he is. He prayed that all the customers got home safe, that no fights would break out, and everybody would have a good time. And then, before concluding her session, she prayed for George Hamilton, investing an even greater degree of personal emotion into his prayer than she placed toward the others.

"Amen," she said cheerfully.

She looked into her locker and smiled at the small plush Mr. Raccoon doll that smiled back at her. She knew that maybe it was childish, but her youthful spirit always took joy in the smallest things, and she felt as long as it kept her happy it didn't matter.

"You're so cute!" she said, playfully pinching the doll's tiny nose.

She closed her locker and smiled, feeling better than she did several minutes ago upon arriving at the bar. Jack had scolded her, looking angrier and meaner than he usually did, for leaving a package he asked her to transport to the wine room at the upper base of the stairs. What could she do? The wine room was locked, and every time she tried to ask Jack for the key, he was busy yelling at somebody on the phone in his office and waving her off. Cindy felt sad, and maybe a little frustrated, but praying seemed to help her deal with Jack and the general downers that accompany life.

She stepped out of the staff room and made her way through the hallways and down the stairs to the bar. She practiced smiling as best as she could, hoping her renewed spirit would pass onto the usually glum and somber, and occasionally "weird" customers that drowned their sorrows at J's bar. She stepped out and locked the door behind her. There weren't many customers yet, so Cindy hurriedly made her way to one that was sitting near the door to the staff area, David King.

"Hello sir," she said gleefully, pulling out her tiny notepad. "Have you been helped?"

David looked at Cindy out of the corner of his eye, and let out a low grunt.

"He just wanted a drink," Will said. "I took care of it."

"Oh, okay," Cindy said embarrassed.

"Hey, Cindy!" Kevin Ryman said, who was seated in the middle of the bar in front of Will.

"Hello, Kevin!" Cindy said, waving. "Want the usual?"

"No thanks," he said, gesturing with his drink in one hand. "Will's got me taken care of."

"This is going on your black list, Kevin." Will said.

"Aw Will," Kevin said sadly. "Just when I was startin' to have fun you throw me in the gutter!"

"I won't be your supplier Kevin, I'm just doing my job, and your trudging on thin ice now."

"I get my paycheck tomorrow, take it easy!"

The bell that hung over the door to the bar rang out as Mark Wilkins and his friend Bob entered. Cindy quickly met them.

"Welcome to J's Bar!" she said. "Is it just the two of you?"

"Yes please," Mark said.

"Follow me please!" Cindy led them to a table and took their orders.

"Ya' know Will," Kevin said. "You oughta add some fresh tunes to the juke box. This jazz stuff is cool and all, but a regular like myself can only bear so much. I might take my business elsewhere!"

"You've got more debt than any of our regulars Kev," Will said with a smirk. "That's not exactly a profit on our part."

"But I attract some fine folk," Kevin said confidently. "See, there's some more now!"

A man dressed in a yellow Raccoon City Volunteer Corps jacket stepped in and made his way to the bar, then ordered a drink and removed the hood from his head. It was George Hamilton. He sat at the bar and clasped his hands together, then placed his chin on his knuckles in deep thought.

I couldn't do it, he thought to himself. I couldn't sign those papers. I'm not man enough to admit that it's over, that it's been over for much longer than I wanted to believe. I cannot give her peace, not yet. Maybe there's still a chance that-

He glanced across the bar and spotted Cindy Lennox, and no sooner than his brain processed the information did his heart begin thumping hard against his chest, and he shifted his face down behind his hands as if trying to hide his identity. He wished he could lift the hood over his face, but that would only make him obvious. He thought about just getting up and leaving. Why was she here? She didn't work today, he thought. Did she take a new shift? This is insane. I'm going to just get up and-

The door swung open and Alyssa Ashcroft stepped in, dressed in her business suit and a bag holding her laptop computer slung around her shoulder. She brushed her hair to make sure she looked fine and walked in. She scanned the bar and spotted Will. Will recognized her, then handed George his drink.

"Here you are, sir. Cindy, I have to take a short break," Will said.

Cindy looked over at the bar, and almost instantly recognized George. Surprised, she completely lost her train of thought and only uttered his name to herself. Soon their eyes met, and George embarrassingly hid behind his knuckles again.

Will stepped around the bar.

"Hey Will," Kevin said. "Where ya' goin'? I'm nearly done with my shot!"

"I hafta take short break Kev," Will said fixing the cuffs of his shirt, which he often did when he was nervous. "I'll be right back."

Will stepped into the men's room.

"So he had to take a piss," Kevin said shrugging his shoulders, when he felt the air of somebody passing by him.

He looked to the side and saw Alyssa, who was making her way to the bathrooms. She walked as if going to the ladies' room, then glanced around the room briefly, and quickly snuck into the men's room.

"Wait a sec," Kevin said to himself. "Where've I seen her before? She looks like-nah, can't be."

In the men's room Will adjusted his collar and cuffs nervously as Alyssa stepped in, her hand on her hip.

"So, what did you get for me, Mr. Will?" she said with a sly smirk. "Something juicy I hope." She licked her lips in a mock seduction.

Will reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper.

"Everything you need should be there," he said.

"And just what is this? I'm not going to just take your word for it, buster."

"Memos, transactions, everything about Jack's embezzlement is there. Transcripts of phone conversations too. I know you can't use those exactly, but I swear they're real. I think he might even be shafting us, his staff. I know for certain that he takes advantage of Cindy; she's so sweet, but so naïve, she has no idea."

"That girly blonde waitress?"

"Yes. He's under paying her, but she doesn't even know it. He might even be forging her signature."

"This is some pretty deep shit here, pal," Alyssa commented, pocketing the slips of paper.

"Please," he pleaded. "You said I would be anonymous, right? That you wouldn't give any evidence out as to my identity, or anybody else on staff?"

"No no," Alyssa said crossing her arms in an annoyed tone. "Of course not. But you're risking a lot by showing me this, Jack might fire you anyway."

"Well," Will said. "Yeah, I guess that's true. But I can find another job. That rat needs to be exposed. I called your paper knowing you would expose him for the scum he is. But I don't want to put any of the staff in danger, especially not Cindy. She's so nice, and she seems to enjoy this job."

Alyssa rubbed her head. "Please, enough. You're giving me a migraine with your bleeding heart speech. Save it for someone else, I'm just doing my job. Besides, you're probably just concerned about little Miss Girly Girl out there cuz you wanna get into her pants. You're all alike, I swear."

In the bar George sat nervously, hoping that maybe Cindy didn't really recognize him, and considered walking out again. But it was too late, Cindy was already strolling towards him.

"George?" she said. "Is that you?"

"Yes," George sighed. "Hello, Cindy."

"How are you?" she asked with a somewhat restrained smile.

"I'm," he hesitated. "I thought you worked on Mondays. Today is Sunday."

"Oh," she said. "Yes, well, Jack decided to change my shift. I didn't want him to, but I didn't want to upset him."

"I see."

Cindy looked at George, sensing something was wrong.

"George, are you alright" she said, placing her soft, thin hand on his rough clasped hands. The warmth of her touch made George melt inside.

"Cindy," he said, grabbing hold of her hand. "Collete and I, are getting a divorce." He spoke with a hurt tone, but inside he didn't feel particularly sad at this moment in time.

"Oh," Cindy put her hand to her mouth. "I'm so sorry, George. I, I can't imagine what it must be like for you, or for her."

"She's handling it rather well," George said, thinking more about how nice her hand felt than he did about his crumbling marriage.

At the center of the bar Kevin watched Cindy talk to the older George, and nudged David in the shoulder.

"Look at that man," he said. "What is it with girls and these older guys? That waitress should be tearing at the heels of guys like you and me. We're studs, probably around her age. What do they see in those geezers?"

David didn't respond, only gazed at Kevin darkly.

"You don't like to talk much, do ya? All John Wayne or Clint Eastwood like, huh?"

David sipped from his glass.

"Pffth, fine, be that way. But you know, I bet you've had your share of the ladies yourself. Now c'mon," he said shifting his position to face David, one arm slung over the bar and the other holding his shot glass. "Gimme some pointers. Not that I need em', but let's see how much you know about those heavenly creatures. I know you've had to have gotten laid a few times."

"I don't know you. Why don't you just shut up and finish your drink?" David said coldly.

"Wow," Kevin said. "I thought women were grumpy in the morning; lemme know when your PMS tides over, maybe we can have a decent conversation."

Ignoring most of what Kevin was saying, David found himself content with toying around in his head the various ways Mr. Chamberlain could meet an unfortunate end. For a short instant, he even thought about the young girl on the third floor suite.

The door to the bar opened and Jim Chapman and Yoko Suzuki stepped in.

"Ah," he said inhaling the aroma of alcohol and chicken wings that permeated the bar. "Now this smells like home! Cindy baby, your king has arrived!"

Cindy put her hand on George's shoulder. "We'll talk later, okay? I have to get this customer," she said, leaving George. As she approached Jim, Yoko began to feel nauseous and grasped her stomach.

"Where are the bathrooms?" she asked Cindy.

"Over there," she pointed to the back of the bar. Yoko quickly rushed her way to the ladies' room.

"Who is she, Jim?" Cindy asked.

"Just met her on the street," he said. "Not a bad kid, real sharp! A lil' weird, but hey who isn't? Her hands are cut up too, maybe you can help her out!"  
"Oh," Cindy said. "Yes, of course. I'll get to get my medical kit from my locker though. I hope I still remember my training."

"You can do it, girl!" Jim said. "Now, where's my throne?"

Cindy giggled and led Jim to his favorite spot.

Mark took a sip from his soup and glanced over at Bob, who looked as if he'd fallen asleep.

"Bob," he said, nudging him. "You alright?"

Bob lifted his head slowly. "Wh-what?"

"You lookin' kinda pale, Bob." Mark said. "You should eat somethin'. Bring th' color back in yo skin. You feelin' sick?"

"I-I'm, not…hungry for, soup."

Mark looked confused at Bob's statement and chuckled. "Bob, c'mon now, where's you mind at? What nonsense is that? Maybe comin' here wasn' a good idea, we should get you home."

Bob drifted off again, looking unbalanced and wobbily.

"Jus' lemme finish up mah soup an' we'll take you home. I's been a long day.." Mark sighed, remember the course of events that had transpired earlier in the day.

"Mark" Bob said. "What are you going to tell Camille?"

"Ah already talked to her," he said. "Over at her parents. She didn' like it one bit, but I convinced her to let 'im stay fer one night, 'it'll do the boy some good', ah said. 'An' we've tried everythin' else. The police won' let the boy come ta' any harm anyway, he's safe in there. Jus' a lil' scary ta' spen' th' night in jail, but I's an experience he'll nevah want to live through ag'n. Ah know that cuz ah been there b'fore."

Suddenly beside him Cindy Lennox screamed and dropped the glasses she was serving. Mark looked over his shoulder as the glasses shattered on the floor, and noticed a large rat scurrying across the bar floor. Cindy gathered herself and looked shyly at Mark.

"I'm so sorry, sir," she apologized. "Did I spill anything on you? Please don't move, I'll clean this up right away."

"Mah Gawd," Mark said. "That was a huge vermin. Did it touch you?"

"I think it may have bit me," Cindy said, looking down at a small cut on her leg.

"You should clean that up," he said. "Rats got all kinds a' diseases. They started the plague, after all."

"Oh, yes," Cindy said. "Thank you, sir."

Suddenly the music on the jukebox ended, bringing the room to a strange silence.

"Okay," Kevin said. "Who killed the music? Urp! Phew, I threw up in my mouth a lil' bit there! Anybody got a quarter?"

In the ladies' room Yoko bent over the toilet, expecting her insides to burst through her throat and out her mouth, with no result. She began to feel dizzy again, and made her way to the sink. She splashed her face with water and dried it off with a paper towel. She leaned over the sink and tried to catch her breath.

She glanced at the mirror, trying to recognize her own face, when she spotted one of the stalls behind her slowly creep open. Inside the stall it was dark, plunged in shadows, and a figure very slowly emerged and moaned. She turned around to face the stranger.

"Hello?" she said.

At this moment Will and Alyssa stepped out of the men's room.

"Cindy," Will said, looking at the broken glass on the floor as she tried to carefully pick up the shards, Mark offering his aid. "What happened?"

"Hey," Kevin said, noticing the two. "What were you two doing in there?"

Will looked over at Alyssa as a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. Alyssa stepped forward.

"That's none of your business," she said firmly in an aggressive tone.

"Hey," Kevin said pointing at her with his empty shot glass. "I know you. Yeah, it's got to be you! You go to the local shooting gallery don't you? Cept you don't dress like that, you got a track suit on, right?"

Alyssa's eyes widened and her brows raised.

"What! I-I," she muttered speechless.

"I knew it!"

Suddenly in the silence the door to the bar slowly creaked open again, but an entirely different kind of customer slowly trudged in and stood in front of the door, silently. He wore a long T-shirt and blue jeans, although both were covered in grime and the man gave off a horrid stink. His face was bearded and his hair, which hang down in front of his face, looked just as dirty and haggard as his clothes. Silently he stood there like a statue, his body arched downward like a wilting plant. Will stepped forward to welcome the customer as everyone in the room watched in silence. Alyssa crossed her arms and watched. Although her first instinct was to get out of that stinking hole, this customer had piqued her interest. Kevin however, had begun to get out of his seat and strut over to her with a half drunken smirk, and she began to reconsider her options.

"So," Kevin said drunkenly. "How bout you give me your name, and I give you mine gorgeous?"

Alyssa looked away in disgust, Kevin's breath stinking of alcohol.

"Hello sir," Will said to the strange man. "Welcome to J's Bar. Would you like to be seated at the bar, or are you planning on making an order?"

The man gave no answer.

"Sir," Will said extending his hand out to the man. "Are you alright?"

The man lifted his head, and a long thin line of saliva dripped from his mouth, which looked to be smudged with mud or some other substance. The man's eyes were vacant and pale, his iris a very light shade of gray giving the impression he had no eyes at all. The man looked past the long strands of thick, stringy hair and directly at Will, the right side of his mouth showing a snarl, and let out a gurgled, horrific cry.

In that same moment, Bob suddenly keeled over, hitting the floor hard with his shoulder and head.

"Bob!" Mark said, attending to his friend.

Will glanced over at the incident, turning his attention away for a second from the stranger, when the man quickly lunged forward, clasping both Will's shoulders and immediately sunk his teeth into the poor bartender's neck. Will let out a terrorized scream and urged the man to let go, but his grip was amazingly strong, almost stiff as if with rigor mortis. Through some rush of adrenaline Will was able to shove the man back against the wall, causing the attacker to fold into himself as if the weight of his own body were too much to control, then collapse to the floor on his back, holding his profusely bleeding neck, his eyes and mouth wide open.

"Will!" Cindy screamed as she ran up to the bartender's body.

"Holy shit!" Jim rang out. "He just bit 'im!"

George stood up, unsure whether what he'd seen was actually real, as Alyssa gasped in the back of the room and Kevin tried to figure out what was going on. George took his jacket off and wrapped it around Will's neck.

"Will," Cindy called to him.

"He's in shock," George said, applying pressure to Will's neck. "He probably can't even hear us right now. His cut is too deep, too large, he's losing lots of blood. Cindy, do you still have your medical kit?"

"It's upstairs," she said.

Realizing the situation, Kevin unholstered his police-issued Beretta handgun and passed by Mark, who was trying to awaken Bob. Cautiously he approached the attacker and aimed at him.

"Don't move, you hear me?" he said. "Put your hands into the air, you're under arrest!"

The man slowly and clumsily picked himself up, appearing as if he was unfamiliar with the functionality of his moving parts.

"I said don't MOVE!" Kevin yelled, pointing the gun forward as if to show he meant business.

The man stood up again and groaned loudly, and stared at Kevin with the same snarl he gave Will.

"You don't want some of this, pal. Now don't be an idiot, and turn around, put your hands behind your back, and,"

Suddenly a body tumbled through the door and landed face first on the floor of the bar, then stood up, his face seemingly half eaten, one eye hanging from its socket, although the eye itself looked to have been chewed on. Another body banged against the window of the bar, startling Jim and causing him to leap ten feet in the air.

"Holy shit!" he screamed, getting up from his seat. "What the fuck!"

All the customers in the bar looked outside, and what appeared to be a large mass of people slowly trudged down the street and flooded into the door of the bar. One by one the walking corpses filed into the room, and Kevin stepped back away from them as they slowly advanced.

"What the hell is going on?" Alyssa inquired. "Is this a riot?"

"Who the hell are these people!" Jim said frantically. "Do something, mister police man!"  
"You want me to ask them to leave?" Kevin said sarcastically.

"I want you to SHOOT them in the fucking FACE!" Jim screamed, pointing his hand like a gun to his own head.

"George wait, we have to help Will!" Cindy said, tugging at Will's collar.

"Cindy please," George pleaded. "There's nothing we can do for him now, hurry!"

George pulled Cindy off of Will, who was still lying on the floor, blood pouring like a fountain from his neck.

"That's it," Kevin ordered. "I am going to open fire in three, two,"

One of the creatures began to rush forward, his rotting mouth wide open.

BLAM BLAM

Kevin fired two shots in the thing's shoulder, aiming to injure rather than kill, but within an instant the man regained his composure and proceeded.

"What in the hell!" Kevin said as he fired more rounds into the three or four creatures that entered the room, each shot hitting a vital organ, but none of them slowing their progress. Two of the creatures then slumped themselves over Will's body, attracted by the crimson pools of blood and began to feast on his flesh.

Kevin managed to hit one in the head, and it dropped to the floor. Realizing this, he proceeded to fire into the foreheads of the other two. But no sooner did they drop than did three more of the creatures walk through the door, each one more thirsty for blood.

"What in Gawd's name are these things?" Mark said, shouldering Bob and reaching for his handgun.

"Shut up and help him, tubby!" Alyssa cried out, when a scream suddenly came from the ladies' room. Yoko burst through and tripped over his own legs, then turned around as yet another creature followed her, half of this one's scalp missing.

"Help me! Somebody please!" she screamed as the creature advanced on her, both arms outstretched. Yoko crawled backward but the thing was too fast and was soon standing over here.

"Hey," a deep voice said.

Suddenly a knife was plunged deep into the creatures eye as David brutally stabbed it with his folding knife, then shoved it against the wall. The creature looked stunned, but quickly regained itself and sprinted towards David again. David harrumphed at this display and put one hand out as if taking aim, then spun around and plunged the knife deep into the creature's throat, shoved it against the wall, blood splurting out and splashing against David's work shirt. David then proceeded to pull the knife horizontally, slitting the throat and nearly beheading the creature in a brutal display of violence. The thing's head went lop-sided as David shoved it aside, Yoko looking on in shock.

"Th-thank," she said.

"Don't thank me just move!" he said as he proceeded to gorge the body of the still moving creature. Yoko got to her feet and walked over to Mark, helping him carry Bob as Cindy and George opened the door to the staff room using Cindy's key.

"C'mon!" George called out to the others, Kevin still holding off the legion of monsters with the aid or Mark's added firepower.

One by one they all filed into the stairway, with Jim bursting ahead of all of them as Mark locked the door from the inside and blocked it with his large body.

"This won't hold for long, we got ta' move!" Mark said.

"Hurry, hurry! Move it! Make way for Jim!" he cried frantically as he ran up the stairs, but suddenly lost his footing tripping at the height of the stairs. He picked himself up by grabbing hold of a window, which suddenly burst wide open, glass shards flying around Jim's face, and two pale hands grabbed Jim and pulled him to the window.

"Oh Jesus Christ!" Jim screamed. "Somebody help me!"

"Hey cowboy," Alyssa called to Kevin. "The subway worker needs your help!"

Kevin ran up the stairs and took aim, but Jim's squirming body prevented him from getting a serious bead on the target.

"Stand still! I can't," Kevin said as the creature began to bite on Jim's shoulder.

"Do something! Do something! ANYTHING!" he screamed.

Frustrated, Kevin walked up to Jim, pointed the gun directly between the creatures eyes, and pulled the trigger, a loud BANG resonating through the hall. Jim grabbed his right ear.

"AAAH! What the FUCK is wrong with you, man! I can't hear SHIT in my ear anymore!"

Kevin groaned. "Just keep moving!"

"That fuckin' thing bit me! This ain't a prize fight, goddammit!" Jim complained.

The group made their way up the stairs and into the staff room, where Yoko and Alyssa rested Bob against a wall.

"They'll be up here soon," Kevin said. "Cindy, how do we get to the roof from here?"

"The only way is through the wine room," she said, pointing to a door in the room. "But it's locked, Jack has the key."

"Go get him. You, the one with the gun," he pointed to Mark. Give me some support, we'll hold them off."

"Okay," Cindy said, proceeding to Jack's office, George following close behind.

"Roger!" Mark said, asking Yoko to look over Bob before he joined Kevin in the hallway.

"And you," Kevin said, pointing to Alyssa, who was standing beside Yoko. "You can shoot, right?"

Alyssa hesitated at first. "Yes," she said.

"Here."

Kevin tossed his Berretta at her, which she caught with one hand. Kevin reached into his leg pocket and pulled out a large, thick, silver pistol and loaded it.

"Holy shit," Jim said, holding his bleeding shoulder. "That is a big fuckin' gun! Who are you, the Joker?"

"That ain't exactly police issued, is it?" Mark said.

"Custom job," Kevin said proudly. "I use it as a backup. Everybody with a weapon, come over here."

David searched the room thoroughly as Yoko watched him next to Jim, who was pacing around the room.

"What are you doing?" Yoko asked.

"Making due with what I got," David said, shaking a can of pesticide spray and reaching into his tool belt. He peered into the small refrigerator and spotted a butcher's knife.

"Hand me that broom," he said to Jim.

"What!" he said. "This ain't time for cleanin' shit up! We gonna DIE! Ooooh God, my life's always been shit! Why me, God, why!"

Annoyed, David gestured towards Yoko. "Hand me the broom." She complied.

"Calm yourself soldjah," Mark said to Jim. "The las' thing we need is a brothah goin' ape shit on us right now."

Kevin and Alyssa stood side by side in the hallway, both guns raised, with Mark checking his ammo.

"So," Kevin said. "Since we might die here tonight, how bout you give me your name now?"

Alyssa frowned and rolled her eyes.

"Alyssa Ashcroft," she said finally. "Will you shut up already and shoot things like you're supposed to?"

"Yes ma'am!" Kevin said cheerfully, awaiting the coming storm. "And by the way, the name's Kevin Ryman!"  
"It's on your badge," Alyssa responded.

"Oh. Yeah."

"This ain't the time for flirtin' you two, le's focus on the job at hand!" Mark said.

"Whatever you say, Chubbs." Alyssa said crudely.


	9. Chapter 9

Ch. 9 Why Did This Happen?

Cindy slowly and cautiously opened the door, more out of learned behavior than out of actual caution. Jack was a mean spirited and tempered brute, rumored to have been as such due to a past business venture that turned sour, leaving him with moths in his pocket and almost a gun to his own head. Cindy was very much afraid of him, and tried to avoid entering his small office with a balcony that overlooked the city (although she personally enjoyed the view from there.) She looked around the room and saw it thrown in total disarray, papers strewn across the floor, the desk cluttered with junk, books on the bookcase scattered, and saw Jack nowhere in sight. George nudged his way through the door and looked around.

"He isn't here?" he said.

"I don't see him," Cindy responded, but as soon as the words passed her lips she saw something move on the balcony. She walked along the creaking floor as George followed cautiously, but stopped himself upon noticing something sitting in an open desk drawer. He stepped aside to investigate as Cindy walked onto the balcony.

Standing there, his back facing Cindy, he seemingly peered out at the city, the distant noise of sirens and screams filling Cindy with dread. Nervously she walked up to him, as she always approached him, and spoke in a low, humble tone.

"Jack?" she said, her head titled down slightly to avoid the possibility of eye contact. "Jack, we need your help. Some…things, have broken into the bar; they got Will, and, we need the key to the liquor room. Some other customers are waiting outside, trying to give us some time. Please Jack, you have to help us!"

There was no response. Jack's body swayed a bit as if with the low wind that brushed across Cindy's face.

"Jack," she said, edging closer. "Are you…okay?"

Cindy put her hand on Jack's arm, and quickly took it away. It felt cold, worn, and looked incredibly pale. Jack turned his head slowly and looked at Cindy, the irises of his eyes vacant and empty.

"Ciiiiiiindyyyyyyy," he murmured, and slowly, very slowly turned his body towards her.

"Jack?" Cindy said, her legs trembling. "Jack, what's wrong? No, you're,"

Before Cindy could finish, Jack was already on her, grabbing her neck and shoulder, pinning her against the wall. Cindy squealed loudly and put her hand on his face to keep his gnashing teeth from reaching her slim neck.

In a flash George stepped onto the balcony and saw the attacker, then with great force he didn't realize he was capable of sped forth and tackled Jack to the ground, his head bashing hard against the balcony's fencing. He inspected Cindy to confirm whether she had been injured as Jack's cadaver slowly rose to it's feet, blood beginning to drip from it's cracked skull. Cindy screamed as George turned his attention back towards the creature that used to be Jack, and pulled out a silver revolver and aimed it.

"George, wait! That's, Jack!" Cindy pleaded to George's confusion.

"Cindy," he said, stepping back a bit from his recovering target. "That is no longer your employer. I have to stop it, or it will destroy us both."

The creature let out a groan, followed by a hellish whale and advanced on George quickly, grabbing his wrist and pinning him to the floor. Cindy screamed and cowered against the wall, calling George's name as George struggled with the monster, holding the thing's head with one hand and pointing the gun point blank between its eyes.

With a thunderous BANG blood sprayed against the wall and over George's face as the creature slumped sideways, lifeless. George got to his knees and vomited. He had never killed a man before, and the gore sitting on his face was like nothing he had ever experienced. For years he opened people up and saw their insides, but this was entirely different. Cindy trembled as she stood up, horrified by George's appearance, but summed up enough courage to help him to his feet.

"Thank you," she said.

"Where is," George said, unable to finish speaking, but Cindy already knew the question. She cautiously approached Jack's body and searched his pockets.

"I found it!" she said.

Outside Kevin, Alyssa and Mark stood at the end of the hallway in front of the door to the stairway. Behind them David handed something to Jim.

"What the fuck is this shit?" Jim said.

"It's a spear," David said. "You stab things with it."

"Man I know what a spear is," Jim said irritated. "You expect me to throw this shit at one of those things?"

"That's a javelin you idiot," David said, turning to Yoko. "Here."

"What," Yoko said, holding a can of pesticide spray that was taped to a lighter.

"Just push the button," David said. "And it'll shoot fire. But don't get any of us with it or I'll kill you myself."

Yoko stepped back from David, who humphed to himself as he searched around the room a bit more. Jim reached into his pocket and pulled out his lucky coin, flipped it, and observed it.

"What are you doing?" Yoko said.

"Heads," Jim said to himself, then to Yoko. "It looks like we're gonna be alright, girl. You just stick with Jimbo, and you'll make it outta here alive!"

Jim looked towards Bob, who was sitting against the wall, his face looking paler than before.

"Hey brothah," Jim inquired. "You alright? You lookin' pretty pale."

Bob groaned low then responded. "I-I,"

"He's sick, probably food poisoning." David said.

"That's not food poisoning," Yoko noted.

"I see one!" Kevin yelled. A creature stepped around the corner, followed by another and another. "And he brought lots of friends with him. Let's say 'hello' to each and every one of them. Don't wanna make em' feel unwelcomed!"

Kevin fired a shot, which hit the first creature in the head, causing it to erupt in a shower of blood. Next Mark fired several rounds, managing to send one staggering back, as Alyssa hit one directly in the forehead, downing it instantly.

"Aim for the head," Alyssa said. "That means you too, Chubbs!"

Mark aimed carefully and managed to down another. One by one the creatures filled the hallway, some stumbling over their fallen comrades, until there was nearly a pile of bodies.

"Shit," Kevin said. "I'm running out."

"So am I," Alyssa said.

Suddenly a window behind them crashed open and in poured one of the creatures. It stood up and moaned as Jim stood there, his knees chattering and his spear dropping to the ground. Yoko picked the can up but stumbled with it in her hands.

"Idiots," David said, picking up the spear and running it through the creature, so fast and so hard it penetrated its torso, and David shoved it against the wall, pinning it there so it couldn't move. Suddenly a black crow flew in, one of them attacking David, who wove his hands in self-defense.

"Help!" Yoko screamed towards Alyssa.

"Mind your own business," Alyssa said, focusing on the slowly advancing and unending creatures.

Yoko aimed the spray into the air and pressed the button, a large burst of flame igniting the bird's wing. The bird flapped around the room in a panic as David pulled out his folding knife, held it with his thumb and forefinger, then sent it flying into the crow, knocking to the floor dead, the folding knife thrust into its head. David walked over and pulled the knife out, then gave Yoko a strange look, and Jim a very angry look.

"Man," Jim complained. "Why can't you give me a gun or that knife? Brother cain't throw no damn spears. Who am I, Spartacus?"

David clenched his knife tightly, tempted to send it deep into the coward's esophagus.

From the door behind them burst George and Cindy, Cindy startled by the creature pinned against the wall (it was still alive and trying to free itself, clutching the spear with one hand while reaching for Cindy's throat hungrily with the other.)

"Hurry Cindy," George said.

Cindy walked up to the wine door room and unlocked it.

"Wait please," she said, quickly ducking into the staff locker room.

"Everybody get in, now!" Kevin yelled while reloading and sharing his ammo with Alyssa and Mark.

Jim was first to enter the door. "This way, my crew!" he declared, followed by Yoko and David, who were both carrying Bob.

"Leave me," Bob pleaded.

"Hm?" David said.

"Something's wrong. You have to leave me, please." Bob said.

"No," Yoko said. "We can't."

"He's delusional. Ignore him." David said. "Keep quit pops or you'll just tired yourself."

"You know," Kevin said between the loud bursts of fire from his .45. "This isn't so bad considering these things are already dead. I used to feel nervous about opening fire on people, but it's just like the range! Except these things smell like my grandmother's underpants."

"Or like an old man's ass," Alyssa said with a smirk, reloading bullets into her gun.

"Tha smell is all too familiah tah me," Mark said with a grimace.

"Oh no," Kevin said, ceasing his fire.

"What?" Mark said, hearing the click of his now empty gun. "Damn! I'm out!"

Kevin stood still, his eyes unblinking and mouth drawn open. At the end of the hallway stood Will, bite wounds covering his body and face. Slowly Will approached the group, his hands outstretched and groaning.

"Will," Kevin said.

"What are you waiting for boy in blue?" Alyssa said. "Shoot his ass!"

"Will, no," Kevin said, lowering his gun.

Will was only inches away from the trio, and Alyssa shook her head.

"Pathetic," she said as she picked her gun up and fired directly between Will's eyes, dropping him to the floor immediately and splashing Will's blood against Kevin's silent face, which winced at the sight.

"Well," Alyssa said in a joking tone. "At least you won't have to pay for those drinks now."

Kevin looked at the blood on his RPD issued vest and then at Will's body as Cindy came back through the door, a medicine kit in hand. She saw Will's body on the floor and let out a gasp.

"Will!" she said as George pulled her towards the door.

"Let's go!" Mark said, cocking his gun. "Get movin', people!"

"C'mon cowboy," Alyssa said pulling Kevin by the arm as the others made their way up the stairs. David kicked the door at the top of the stairs hard.

"What's wrong?" George asked.

"WE CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR!" Jim said paniced. "We're stuck in this fuckin' tight ass hallway and this door is fucking locked!"

"Cindy," Mark said. "Where's the key?"

"I-I," Cindy stuttered. "There wasn't a lock there before! Jack must have just added that recently!"

"Goddammit!" David said, punching the door.

"Oh Jesus," Alyssa said annoyed. "Step aside, let a lady through!"

Alyssa walked up the stairs and reached in her coat pocket, handing the gun to Yoko.

"Hold this for me, girlie," she said pulling out a strange pick.

"Lock picks," David commented.

"That's right," she said, stuffing the pick into the doorknob. "A little bit more,"

"Ah see one," Mark said, firing his gun at one of the creatures that entered the tight stairway. "Kevin, regain your composure, son!"

Kevin looked over his shoulder then quickly raised his firearm, pushing aside the loss of his buddy.

"There!" Alyssa said, pulling her pick out as the door swung open.

"Thank you thank you! Now move that fine ass booty woman!" Jim said, shoving Alyssa aside and tripping his way through the door.

"Agh! Asshole!" Alyssa said.

"Chivalry really is dead," David remarked with a smirk.

"That guy is no knight in shining armor," she said snatching her gun from Yoko's hands. "C'mon!"

All nine of the survivors filed into the room as Mark locked it, then noticed a pile of boards laying on the ground and a nail gun sitting beside them.

"Ah have an idea," he said. "You with the tool belt, help me."

"David," David said insulted.

"Well mah name's Mark, nice ta' meetcha son, but this ain't the time for intraductions. Now git over here an' help me!"

Together the two swiftly boarded up the door in minutes, the only thing getting through the barricade being the low, pathetic moans of the creatures banging and clawing against the door. The group gathered shortly after, Kevin supplying the limited amount of ammo he had left with the others.

"What now?" Kevin asked. "I don't see anymore doors, that shutter is welded closed, and this one won't open, looks like it's locked from the side. Cindy, do you know anything else about this place?"

"I, I'm sorry," she apologized. "But I usually don't come up here, although I haven't seen any other doors here that would lead outside."

"A forklift," Yoko said, looking at a forklift.

"How did that get in here?" Kevin said.

"Jack uses it to store the liquor," Cindy said. "But some kids would sneak in through the shutter that was used to bring crates in and out with the lift, so Jack had it welded shut."

"I got an idea!" Jim said raising his arm, but then quickly drawing it back in from the pain of his injury, which Cindy has wound up with medical tape. "Let's raise the lift and those boxes, and we can climb onto those shelves. I see an opening up there, we can crawl through it! Yeah! That's right, who da man? Jim! That's who!"

"The moron has a point," Alyssa said. "Cept it'll be a risk getting Chubbs's pork rind loving ass through there."

"Ya' know, you a cold ass bitch," Jim said. "Shame with such a fine rack like the one you got there."

Alyssa grit her teeth.

"Stop it, both of you," George said. "The absolute last thing we need is to turn on each other."

"I don't trust this bitch for a second," Jim said. "She's lookin' like somebody who'd rather leave us all high an' dry so we can be monster kibble while she high tails it to the salon!"

"One more word outta you buster," Alyssa said, waving her gun at Jim.

"Easy girl," Kevin said in a flirtatious tone. "It'd be a shame to have to empty your pretty hand of that firearm, seeing as how good you look with it."

"I'd love to see you try," she said with a scowl very unlike Kevin's manner.

"Please," Cindy said. "We musn't do this. I know it's hard, I can't believe this is happening myself, but we have to work together or we will all die."

"Cindy's right," George said. "I read a story about a group of climbers who were trapped in a cabin by thick layers of snow. They had plenty of food, but slowly they began to suspect each other of over eating their portion of the rations and by the end of the week they found all of them dead, not through starvation but murdered. If any situation serves this analogy best, I think this is it."

Alyssa lowered her gun, fuming.

"Why did I have to get stuck with a bunch of people like this," she said putting her hand to her head. "I'm gonna have a migraine, I know it."

"Shit. Where's the key?" David said, inspecting the lift.

"Oh," Cindy said. "That's right. We need a key."

"Do you know where it is, Cindy?" Yoko asked.

"The man who works with the lift once told me he hides it in this room, in a wine bottle. But he didn't say which one."

"Great," Kevin said. "Why don't we get a haystack while we're at it? Okay then, everybody search the bottles, and move your asses cuz our little fort here won't be safe for long with those things so eager to give us all undead hickies."

The group split up as Bob sat to himself against the forklift, and each one either emptied, searched, or broke the bottles. Kevin decided to sneak a few drinks in as well.

"Ah," Kevin said. "This one's got a nice flavor. Good date too. Have a swig."

Kevin tossed the bottle to Alyssa, who caught it with one hand. She smelled it and put her tongue out, disgusted.

"This can't possibly taste any better than it smells," she said.

"Just be a man and drink!" Kevin said, searching for the next bottle he planned to empty of its contents. Entirely out of necessity, of course. Alyssa sniffed the bottle again and, Kevin's challenge nudging at the back hairs of her neck, thrust the bottle up into the air and chugged the remaining liquid. Astonished, Kevin stared at her as she removed the bottle from her lips and exhaled, then wiped her mouth with her sleeve.

"Will you marry me?" Kevin said with a smile.

Alyssa smirked. "You wish."

David and Mark searched through the room, opening bottle after bottle as David gathered materials for a new weapon.

"Ah tell ya, the smell a' death never leaves ya'," Mark said, recounting his days in Nam with David. "It sticks to the edge of yer mind, an' when ya' dream a' those faces, those eyes, horrible, horrible white eyes, you kin still smell it, taste it along the rim a' yer teeth, edge a yer tongue. The unforgiving silence."

David worked in silence, choosing not to respond not because he was ignoring Mark but out of his usual quiet presence.

"Ah s'pose you youts nowadays don' care much bout th' past," Mark said, relating to his son. "Mah son always tells me a man ought ta' forget th' past an' live for th' future. He's a bright one, ah tell ya', wish he'd put his energy inta school rather'n those friends he hangs round with. Ah hope he's alright."

"I've smelled it too," David said, still working on his latest creation. "The smell of death. Only I don't dream about it. But it's always there."

Mark looked at him curiously.

George and Cindy searched in an isolated area.

"George," Cindy said. "I'm sorry about your wife."

George said nothing at first. "I'm not," he soon said.

"Why?"

"Because it wasn't going to work anyway. I should have seen the inevitable, fate, as one might say. It was right in front of me, but I refused to acknowledge it."

"But we," Cindy said, a memory they shared accompanying her words. "We,"

"No," George said, grabbing hold of Cindy's hand. It was smooth and soft, fragile. "That's not why, Cindy. Collete, she, she never knew. And we stopped it before it could go too far. There's no way she could have known."

"George I," Cindy found no words to speak with. "I can't stop myself, George. I've tried. I've asked God to help me, but I don't think he can. I still,"

"Please," George said, putting his hand to her tender face, her bright doe eyes sparkling in his perspective. "We have to focus. We'll talk about this later."

After some time of further searching Cindy spoke up again.

"Why did all this happen?" she said in range of the others. "Why did God do this? What happened to those people?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, sister." Alyssa commented.

"They look like they been dead for hours," Mark said.

"Indeed," George said. "Some of them have been struck with rigor mortis, and their flesh is decaying. There's no doubt to me that they are dead."

"I'm sure the guy who took a bite out of Jim's shoulder would beg to differ," Kevin said.

"Hey man," Jim complained as expected. "You betta watch yo ass. I can't hear good any more from my right side anymore cuz of your stupid ass firin' a gun right near it!"

"Better that than your ear being dipped in ranch dressing on monster's dinner plate, along with the rest of you." Kevin said.

"Maybe they're diseased," George said. "The bartender, what was his name?"

Kevin and Cindy's faces drooped at the mentioning of their departed friend.

"Will," Alyssa said without any compassion, and perhaps in an attempt to subtly poke at the wounds of Kevin and Cindy.

"We saw those things attack him," George said sounding like a biology professor. "And yet he returned in that hallway as one of them. It seems to me that they someone spread this disease to any whom they've committed physical injury upon, and spread this plague to others. But how on Earth could it have spread so fast without even the slightest hint of it?"

"Rats," Mark said. "Ah seen lots a' those things scurryin' about an' such. Yer a smart man, George, you know about the Black Plague."

"Yes," George said. "Perhaps you have a point. Why, just the other day, I,"

George stopped himself and looked at his finger, which was still bandaged.

"Oh no," he said.

"Wait a second," Kevin said. "You mean to tell me whoever gets bitten by one of those things gets infected?"

"It would seem so," George said.

Alyssa pulled out her gun and aimed it at Jim.

"Let's kill him now and get this over with," Alyssa said.

"WHOA WHOA WHOA! STOP! AGH, NOOOOO!" Jim screamed.

Kevin quickly lifted Alyssa's gun up and with a loud burst it fired into the air, then pulled it out of her hands. Jim quickly fell to the floor and cowered in terror, then inspected his being, first his body and then his crotch, and sighed with relief upon reassuring the existence of his reproductive organs.

"What the hell's the matter with you!" Kevin growled.

"If you let them stay with us," Alyssa said, pointing to Bob and Jim. "They're going to become one of those things and kill us ALL! Either you let that happen, or you let me end their stinking misery right NOW! Apparently I'm the only one in here with any balls."

Mark stood in front of Bob, acting as a shield.

"If you gonna try an' shoot Bob, you gonna hafta kill me first." He said.

"Mark, please," Bob said weakly.

"Yeah yeah," Jim said, standing behind Mark for protection. "You wanna cap us you hafta go through Marky Mark, sistah!"

"You people make me sick," Alyssa said. "It's kill or be killed now, and you're straying on the wrong end of that stick, but I won't be around to die with you."

"You won't have a choice, Alyssa." Kevin said. "You're in this mess with us whether you like it or not."

"He's right," David said, his arms crossed and his body leaning in the corner. "I'd be satisfied with just killing all of you right now, just to make sure none of you got to turn on me. But I'm not stupid enough to think I can't make it out of this alive by myself, at least not right now."

"Argh!" Alyssa said throwing her arms in the air. "People are such IDIOTS!"

A loud crash rang out through the room, and everybody turned to Yoko, who was standing over a broken liquor bottle. She rummaged through the glass and picked up a key.

"Is this it?" she asked.

"Yes," Cindy said clapping her hands cheerfully. "Yes it is!"

"Yoko, you're a life saver!" Kevin said.

"Hurry, we've no time left." George said.

The key fit perfectly, and the lift came to life. Jim raised the platform and the crates just barely reached the top. However the space between the top of the shelves was too narrow for most of them to fit, even slender Alyssa and Cindy. Within moments the sound of wood cracking resonated through the liquor room as the undead stalkers broke through the barrier.

"It's go time people," Kevin said. "Alyssa, I'm going to trust you with this, because you're one hell of a shot." He handed her the handgun. "Do NOT betray that trust."

"Get over yourself, cowboy." She said, although not as bitterly as she usually did. "You know you just wanna see me shoot things."

"That could have something to do with it," Kevin joked.

"Yoko," David said. "Come here and I'll help you up to the top. You look like the right size."

David helped Yoko reach the top of the shelves, and slowly she crawled her way to the opening. David ran towards the three gunmen (and woman.)

"What are you doing?" Kevin inquired.

"Shut up and hold your fire," David said, lighting a liquor bottle stuffed with newspaper using the flame spray. "Stand back."

David flung the bottle at the crowd of approaching creatures and it exploded with a loud bang, causing several of them to fall backward and ignite.

"Excellent!" Kevin cheered.

"You're pretty handy, McGyver," Alyssa complemented.

"Nice goin', son." Mark said. "Keep at it! We kin conserve the ammo."

David simply harrumphed.

Soon the shutter raised and Yoko waited on the other side.

"My princess!" Jim said. "I owe you big time! I KNEW you'd be good luck to me!"

Yoko giggled. Cindy and George helped Bob into the room as Kevin and Alyssa followed. David tried to light another Molotov cocktail, but found the spray was empty.

"Forget it boy," Mark said. "C'mon! We got ta' go!"

David flung the spray can aside and followed. "See ya' you dead bastards."

David closed the shutters behind him and the group made their way to the rooftop. Once there, Kevin scanned the area and observed the railing that ran behind the large "J's Bar" sign, noting it's path leading to the roof of the nearby building. Faintly, he could make out the sound of someone speaking over a megaphone far below.

"If anyone can hear me, get to the city street now. We are evacuating to the Police Station, but we don't have much time. Get over here, NOW."

"Raymond?" Kevin said, recognizing the voice.

Mark helped Bob along the roof, but soon Bob collapsed from his grasp. Kevin instructed the others what he had heard, and proposed a plan to jump to the next rooftop, much to Jim's misery.

"Bob," Mark said, checking his friend's condition. "Please you have to get up."

"Mark," Bob said in a very weak tone. "You know I can't make that jump. You know that I'm weighing you down. I refuse to be a burden any longer."

Bob grabbed Mark's gun from his holster and aimed it at his temple.

"NO!" Mark pulled the gun away from Bob. "No Bob, never!"

"Please Mark," Bob said, his eyes weary. "I don't want to be one of those things. I don't want to lose control over my life, not like that. And you know just as well as I do that I won't be able to make that jump. I won't," Bob coughed, spewing blood. "I refuse, to be the death of all of you."

"Bob, no," Mark said, a tear running from his eye. "Not you. Please. I lost a man in Nam the same way. But you an' me, we beat Nam, Bob! We kin beat this!"

"No we can't, Mark." Bob said. "But you can. You haven't been infected, you have a son that's waiting for you. Please Mark, don't let me lose control of my soul. Please. Let me end it, cough, myself…"

Mark looked into Bob's eyes, his skin paler than before. Tears streamed down Mark's face as he slowly loosened his grip from the gun. Bob raised it even slower, as if the gun weighed a ton, and rested it against his temple. He looked over at Mark and smiled.

"Thank you, Mark."

The bang from the gun wasn't loud itself, but Mark couldn't hear anything. He watched his best friend's lifeless body slump down into his arms, and he saw himself in the deep, dark jungles of Vietnam, bombs bursting around him, a boy no older than his son dead in his arms. He wished it had been a dream, some hallucination. But the nightmare was real, and his friend lay dead in his arms, again, the gun he ended his life with sitting silently, innocently in Bob's open hand. Mark screamed Bob's name and clung to him, his tears blinding burning his eyes. The smell of death filled his nostrils.

Behind him the other survivors, now eight, stood silently, George comforting Cindy. Alyssa and David stood off to the side with their arms crossed, Alyssa with a sad expression on her face, although she tried to make sure nobody noticed. Even Jim said nothing.

"Mark," Kevin said. "I'm sorry but, we have to…"

Mark opened his eyes. The nightmare was real. He kissed Bob's forehead and lay his head to the rough ground, then crossed his arms. He looked peaceful.

"Goodbye, Bob." Mark said.


	10. Chapter 10

Ch. 10 There's No Time Left

"C'mon!" Kevin yelled as he leaped onto the long narrow ramp that lead across the roof of J's Bar behind its mammoth sign. The eight survivors followed, with Kevin offering his hand to Alyssa in a futile but intentional attempt to help her up. As expected she gave him a sneer to which he answered with a sly, sarcastic smirk, enjoying immensely the smallest chance to irritate her.

Mark tried hard not to look at Bob's corpse. "Ah used ta' look up at this sign," he said sadly, stopping himself from finishing his sentence with "with Bob that is."

Jim reached the end of the ramp and looked down between the gap of the two buildings.

"Man, I can't even see the floor!" he said. "What the fuck are we gonna do!"

"Don't be such a chicken shit Jim!" Kevin said, taking a few steps back, then vaulted him self toward the other roof's edge. He clasped it with his hands and hit the edge with his shin, then picked himself up easily and pat his pants with his hands in a confident nature.

"What the fuck is this the Olympics!" Jim complained. "First I gotta chuck fuckin' spears at ugly walking dead things, now you got a brothah jumping rooftops like he's in the fucking Matrix an' shit!"

David shoved Jim aside, a look on his face as if he'd tasted spoiled milk, and swiftly made the leap. Together the two waited by the edge for the others. George stepped up to the edge and peered down the side of the building. Cindy grabbed his arm and he looked into her eyes.

"George, please be careful," she said in a heartfelt tone.

"Don't worry, Cindy. Just remember the three C's." he said.

George jumped as the other two caught one of his arms and pulled him up. Next Mark made his jump, with help from all three of the others, and soon it was Cindy's turn. She crept toward the edge as her knees knocked together, barely able to stand from the fright that ran across the hairs on her back and slithered up her spine. She took a few steps, but then retreated.

"C'mon Cindy," Kevin said. "We'll catch you even if you can't make it all the way."  
"Cindy would you PLEASE," Alyssa said agitated and bored. "Just do it!"

Cindy looked down the side of the building, and that did her in.

"I can't! I can't!" she said while covering her eyes.

"Cindy, please!" George pleaded with his arm outstretched.

"Oh for the love of God," Alyssa said, then without warning placed her boot against Cindy's buttocks. "Move your ASS sister!"

Alyssa shoved Cindy forward, sending her diving towards the roof ledge. George fell to his chest and grabbed her wrist just in time to catch her, and with the others' help they lifted her up onto the roof. Yoko neared the edge and looked at Alyssa, who frowned, and without a word Yoko decided not to hesitate and made the leap out of fear of receiving the same treatment.

"Shit, if lil' miss Yoko can do this," Jim said, half strutting to the edge of the room. "Surely the Jimster can!"

Jim spit in his hands and rubbed them together, then leaped forward. David grabbed him from the coat collar.

"Ah! Pick me up, pick me up!" Jim squealed, dangling from David's arm like a fish on a hook. David lifted him up and tossed him to the side.

"Looks like we saved the best for last!" Kevin said, looking at Alyssa across the gap.

Alyssa leaped, grabbing hold of the ledge from the waist and struggling slightly, but gradually pulling herself up. Kevin grabbed her arm to help but she shoved him off.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed. "I don't need YOU to help me!"

"You look so hot when you're pissed off," Kevin said with a wink.

The eight entered a room on the rooftop and found a flight of stairs. They raced down them until they reached the first floor and entered a narrow T shaped corridor. Alyssa, Kevin, Mark, George and Cindy were first, with the others lagging behind. They turned left down the corridor and found a door; the sound of a megaphone and gunfire could be heard just behind it.

"There! Go!" Kevin said, pointing to the door. The others followed when the glass of the windows positioned along the hallway burst into a rain of shards as first two, three, then four of the undead creatures poured into the room. Kevin tried to fire but found the numbers overwhelming, and saw that David, Yoko and Jim had been separated on the other side.

"Shit! Run, hurry!" Kevin said, sending a sidekick to one of the things, knocking it back into another one.

"Move your ass!" David said as he took swipes at one of the walking cadavers.

"Don't hafta tell Jim twice!" Jim said as he bolted through the door on the opposite end of the hallway. "C'mon miss Yoko, let's get our booties in gear and get the hell outta here!"

"Wait!" she said, reaching out. "David!"  
"Man, fuck that guy," Jim said. "Just more food for those freaks!"

David followed, one of the creatures taking incredible strides that made it seem frightfully fast, and closed the door behind him. The creature put a hand through the opening and tore at David's arm.

"You piece of shit," David said as he plunged the knife into the creature's throat, then slammed the door hard making a loud cracking sound, the bone in the thing's arm shattering. David then opened the door and reached into his tool belt, grabbed a wrench and smacked it in the face, then slammed the door shut as more approached. He then followed Yoko and Jim into the darkness of the alleyways, all three running as fast as they could.

On the opposite end the others walked through the doorway, with Kevin and Mark last, to find themselves in the middle of a massive war zone. All along the streets civilians screamed and fled as the undead creatures surrounded and mauled several innocents, and even a few Raccoon City Police officers. Kevin led the team down the streets, following the rush of civilians that traveled in waves as in a flood, an increasing number of zombies trailing behind them. Together they reached a blockade of police cars, a man with a police issued hat and gray, shoulder-length hair standing beside the cars and waving people through.

"Go on, hurry!" he said, turning his head toward the group. Recognizing Kevin, he turned his attention away from the group of people climbing over the cars.

"Sergeant Raymond," Kevin said, approaching the senior officer. "I have some civilians with me."

"Kevin Ryman, is it?" Raymond responded. "Hurry up and get them behind this barricade, and grab a better firearm from the trunk."

The eight followed orders and climbed over the cars. Raymond and Kevin each grabbed a shotgun from the cars as the civilians gathered in front of a clothing store.

"Where is everybody else?" Kevin said to Raymond, aiming at an approaching undead.

"Somewhere in that pile of dead," Raymond responded, almost uncaring. "Best not to worry about backup son, the entire city is in total chaos. We had NO time to prepare, most of us were stationed at the ball game. The only help these people will be getting is us, so DON'T fuck up!"

Raymond fired a deafening round into the group of approaching zombies, knocking two to the ground while the others proceeded unaffected. Mark approached the two to offer his aid as Alyssa looked around the area, noticing the chain link fence and large double wooden doors. A short, pudgy man with glasses and a bad hair cut struggled with his baton as he bashed the lock over and over in attempt to break it.

"Don't you have a gun?" Alyssa said.

"Wh-what? It-it's out of ammo!" the man said.

"Gawd," she said, throwing her head back in disgust. "You men can't do anything right!"

She shoved the man aside and got to work picking the lock when the familiar sound of shattering glass and human screams rang out behind her. From the originally seemingly empty clothes shop approached an armada of the undead.

"Oh this is just great," Alyssa said. "Hey cowboy! The sheep are getting mauled over here!" she yelled towards Kevin, who turned around.

"Shit!" Kevin ran towards the crowd that was being mauled, but a massive group of nearly a dozen zombies flooded the civilians, knocking them over and biting into their flesh.

"I got it!" Alyssa said, pocketing the lock. "Get over here if you wanna live, idiots!"

George, Cindy, Mark, Kevin and Raymond followed, Kevin hesitating for a moment and considering his options. The sight of the helpless civilians being engulfed by the living smog of zombies pierced his soul, but Raymond pulled him through before he could make a mistake.

"They're gone Ryman," he said. "These people need you! You can't save everyone! Now come on!"

The men closed the double doors as Alyssa refastened the lock on the other side. Cindy took a few steps forward, scanning the wide alleyway that lead to another pair of double doors. Raymond raced ahead as Kevin and Mark reloaded their guns.

"Goddammit," Raymond said, kicking the doors. "There's a steel bolt on the other side, we can't get through.

"It's okay," Kevin said. "I don't think those things can get to us from the other side of that door, it's too thick for them. We're okay for,"

Suddenly something from the shadows pounced, knocking Cindy to the ground. An immense insect, its body resembling a scorpion and its head an ant with thick cartilage over its body, mounted her, biting and scratching at her throat.

"What the hell!" Alyssa screamed. "What is that!"

"Just shoot it!" Kevin said, firing his .45 with one hand, his aim hitting the monster in its head. It tumbled around on the ground, flailing in agony, gurgling and screaming with torment. Mark ran up to it and fired several rounds into it until it stopped moving.

"Cindy," George said running to help her up. "Are you okay? Did it harm you?"  
Cindy struggled to gain her footing.

"I-I think, I've been poisoned," she said, nearly fainting.

"Um, guys," Alyssa said, pointing at something that was stuck sideways on the wall.

From the darkness that surrounded the alleyway dozens of the plague crawlers crept their way towards the group. Everyone with a firearm fired rapidly, the area thrown into chaos. Raymond managed to maneuver his way around the crawlers and to the door, then aimed his gun at the lower portion of it, and fired off several rounds.

"Cover me!" he screamed.

Alyssa shot several of the crawlers and began to notice she was running low on ammo. Kevin guarded George and Cindy, kicking a crawler in mid pounce with his sidekick before it could reach them, as George struggled to carry Cindy on his own. Mark ran towards Raymond, seeing one of the crawlers creeping stealthily over his head, its sharp ant like jaw slowly opening to attack Raymond from above.

"Look out!" Mark said, then quickly fired as Raymond ducked instinctively, the crawler sprawling to the ground directly beside him.

"Bastard!" Raymond said as he fired a round into the thing, ending its miserable existence, then heard the click click of his empty shotgun. He tossed it aside and looked at the door.

"It's almost loose enough, we can fit through here." Raymond said kicking at the hole he created in the door underneath the large steel bolt. "C'mon c'mon!"

Alyssa slipped through easily first, then began to run up the hilly pathway behind the door. At the top of the path was a large semi truck parked against a wall, a large thick tanker attached to its back end, and to the right a long drop into a sewer waterway. George and Cindy soon followed, with Kevin and Mark close behind, Mark just barely squeezing himself through.

"I'll bet you think twice the next time you reach for that donut, huh tubby?" Alyssa said with a sadistic smile.

"Ah tell ya' yer lucky yer a woman Alyssa," Mark said. "Raymond, c'mon!"

Raymond crawled through, but as he reached the other side one of the crawlers sunk its ant like jaws into his calf. Raymond shrieked in pain as Mark pulled him through, ripping off a chunk of his calf which stayed in the mouth of the crawler. Raymond cursed as Kevin and Mark tried to pick him up, but noticed the crawlers slipping through the hole they had made and climbing easily over the wall.

"What now!" Kevin said.

"Cindy," George pat Cindy's face. She appeared to have fainted. "Cindy wake up, please!"

"The tanker," Raymond said. "Let the gas out, we can burn those sons of bitches to a crisp! NOW! GO GO GO!"

Not thinking very much about it, acting more out of orders rather than his own volitions, Kevin sprinted forward towards the tanker. From under it emerged a plague crawler, which leapt at Kevin frightfully quickly. Kevin spun himself and pivoted like a professional football player, dodging the crawler, then grabbed the nozzle and turned it, letting out the gasoline.

Alyssa quickly ran beside Kevin as George tried desperately to pick up Cindy, who was nearly unconscious. Mark tried to shoulder Raymond, but suddenly a crawler pounced on him. Mark regained his footing and aimed at the monster, which was grinding its jaws into the back of Raymond's shoulder, when he heard the click of an empty handgun.

"Shit!"

"Just go goddamn you! GOOOO!"

Mark ran to Kevin and Alyssa, who were fighting off one crawler with kicks.

"What do we do now!" Mark said as the crawlers slowly began to flood the area, the floor covered in gasoline.

The group looked over at Raymond, who reached into his pocket and pulled out a small lighter. Realizing what was going to happen, Kevin tried to run toward Raymond, but Mark and Alyssa grabbed him.

"RAYMOND!" Kevin screamed.

Blood began to pour from Raymond's mouth as the crawlers all bit into his helpless, paralyzed body. With what little strength he had left, he raised the lighter above his head.

"Burn in HELL you goddamn MONSTERS…" he said as he flicked the lighter on with his thumb.

"NOO!" Kevin screamed, but it was too late. In an instant Raymond was engulfed in flames, and all around him a massive fireball lit the monsters into a bright glow of flames. Raymond screamed in agony as the fire spread all around the area, and towards George and Cindy. George quickly turned his back to the fire, shielding Cindy from the blast, and with a wild and unrestrained (almost animal like) ferocity never before seen the fire ran towards George from behind, the back of his coat jacket becoming enflamed. He grasped Cindy tightly and rolled both of them into the sewer river below with a splash, the water extinguishing the flames that scorched his back.

On the other side Kevin looked in horror at the large mass of flames, which had dipped into the water. In utter horror he simply stood and stared where his fellow comrade had once been, where he sacrificed and scorched his own body to save them.

Suddenly a thin hand slapped him across the face, snapping him back into reality and out of the sea of illusion he dipped into even if only for a second.

"Move your ASS cowboy," Alyssa said, grabbing Kevin from the shoulders. "You don't wanna DIE do you!"

"GOO!" Mark said, pointing to the river below. "That tanker's gonna blow!"

Alyssa dove into the river with both hands clasped together like a professional diver, and soon after Mark jumped in feet first. Kevin sprinted towards the edge, Alyssa and Mark calling to him, as the tanker behind him erupted into an immense ball of fire and smoke, sending Kevin hurtling down into the river head first almost on top of the others, the fire from the explosion only inches from his body and burning at his flesh slightly. In the middle of the river a large wall of fire had formed from the gasoline that spilled from the hilltop, and the group scanned around until they found an opening into a sewer. They climbed in and collapsed into the dark tunnel of the sewers, exhausted yet relieved. For a time there was nothing but silence, Kevin silently lamenting over the loss of Raymond, Mark and Alyssa taking deep breaths, each of them leaning with their backs against the cold cement walls of the sewer passageway. Mark thought about Bob again, feeling himself almost overcome with grief, but then considered the loss this young man had experienced, and found himself feeling selfish and guilty. Alyssa watched Kevin out of the corner of her eyes as he began to punch the wall angrily. She considered trying to calm him down, if just to get him to stop making so much damn noise, but then assumed it might be confused for compassion. Instead she sat there and tried to imagine what it was like to lose two friends in one night. Kevin dropped to his knees, having tired himself out from his lashing at the blank walls and wiped his face clean.

"We better get goin," Alyssa said, standing up, but not in the usual bitter tone she usually spoke to Kevin with.

"Just give me a fucking minute!" Kevin shouted, his voice bouncing fiercely around the room in an echo. Alyssa was started at the outburst, not expecting it, then frowned and blew at her hair with her mouth, then walked away down the passageway. Mark walked up behind Kevin and put one large, thick and work worn hand on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, son," he said. "So…very, truly sorry."

Kevin said nothing, but grabbed Mark's hand and squeezed it tightly.

On the opposite side of the wall, George pulled Cindy out of the river and into a similarly large tunnel passageway. He laid her on the floor and opened her medical case. Inside it was a collection of herbs of varying color, and he gathered them together and pulled out a medical case from his half charred coat. Her face had turned a dark purple and her body was limp and lifeless. Quickly he mixed the herbs together into a fine powder and placed them on a paper, then slipped them into a small plastic capsule making a pill. He then held Cindy and put it into her mouth, tilting her head back to let it drop down her throat. He could hear her struggle with it.

"I'm so sorry to do this Cindy," he said. "But I must."

He dipped his hand into a puddle of water along the floor and held it with his cupped hand up to her gaping mouth and poured it in. For awhile nothing happened, and George's heart began to steadily increase, pounding so viciously against his chest he felt physical pain. The adrenaline in his body rushed through his vein as sweat trickled down his forehead, burning his eyes. He caressed Cindy's dirty yet still delicately smooth face and through her wet blonde hair.

"No Cindy, no," he pleaded. "Please. Don't die! PLEASE!"

He held her tightly, fear coursing through every inch of his body so that his limbs, face and legs shook violently as if struck with frost bite.

"Please God, don't take this woman. Not here, NOT NOW. She doesn't deserve to die. You don't have the RIGHT! Please, God, PLEEEEASE!"

Suddenly Cindy's body began to move, she began coughing and hacking. George quickly turned her over and she vomited a blue and greenish liquid from her mouth. After she stopped expelling the poison she began to shake feverishly, and George removed his coat and wrapped it around her, then held her close to him and caressed her head gently and carefully.

"What…" she said very low and weakly. "George…where…"

"Shh," George shushed her. "Try to relax. Please. Don't talk for now."

Despite her confusion and fright, the warmth of George's coat and, especially, the warmth of his embrace made Cindy feel serene. She closed her eyes and hugged George back, letting her head rest against his chest. She listened to the thump thump thump of his heart, fast and hard at first, then steadily decline in intensity until it became serene and peaceful. George took one of her hands and kissed it, then held it tightly, almost too tightly; Cindy let out a quiet yelp at the strength of George's grasp, after which he loosened his grasp and held it tenderly against his cheek. He sighed with deep relief and looked up, as if to a sky that wasn't there.

"Thank you, God."

"Wha-what?"

George had accidentally said it out loud. Never before had he asked God for anything, and in fact he didn't really believe there was a God.

"Nothing," he said, holding Cindy's face. "Just…try to rest."

After some time Cindy got to her feet. She felt weak and dizzy, and with George as support the two made their way down the dark lonely waterway, their footsteps echoing around them, unknowing of what lay ahead in the darkness before them.

Kevin, Alyssa and Mark walked down the dark sewer way, Kevin's head drooped down like a wilting flower. Although he had regained himself, the sadness in his eyes persisted, as he nearly forced himself to drag himself along the wet, cold floor of the sewer. Alyssa glanced over at him, seeing the once cheerful smirk he had taunted her with gone. Normally she would laugh to herself at something like this, but for a reason she couldn't explain she actually felt a little guilty. She didn't think she was a mean person, not at all. She admitted to herself that maybe she was a little pushy, but she knew the best way to earn somebody's respect is through intimidation. But Kevin never responded to that; instead he put out his bright, annoyingly optimistic smirk and her attempts to overpower his ego were futile. She didn't meet many men like Kevin.

For a second she considered trying to cheer him up, but before she could open her mouth Kevin spoke, towards Mark.

"I couldn't save them," he said. "Any of them. David and the others, Cindy and George, those civilians. Raymond…Will…I can't do anything right. I can't even pass that stupid test."

"Kevin, get ahold of yo self," Mark said. "You got us outta here alive, didn' you?"

"But I'm a cop," Kevin said. "It's my job to help people. I couldn't even keep a senior officer alive."

"On c'mon," Alyssa said. "You kicked some ass out there, get over it and just keep moving. You can't be all that useless if you made it this far."

"Listen ta' her, son," Mark said. "You a damn good cop, an' we need you tah get us outta here alive. You cain't save the WHOLE world from these undead monstahs. Nobody could on their own. But if you lead us, an' we work togethah as a team, ah know we gonna make it outta this stinkin' hole alive."

"Cheer up cowboy," Alyssa said, playfully punching Kevin on the arm. "You're no good to us if you're all pissy like this. Grow some balls for god sakes and be a man!"

Kevin smiled, much to Alyssa's relief. "Can I borrow some of yours? I'd probably grow more hair on my chest if I took one of yours!"

The trio continued down the hallway until they a ladder that ran up to a closed manhole. Mark climbed it and managed to lift the manhole and move it enough so he could peer out. The manhole led to a seemingly empty alley, and he waved the others to follow.

"Ladies first!" Kevin said, bowing in mock courtesy to Alyssa. Alyssa smirked, but said nothing.

The two climbed out when suddenly a loud screeching echoed through the alley. Around the corner raced a blue police van, which stopped only inches away from the trio, startling them. A policeman looked out and waved them to enter.

"Hurry! Come on!" he said frantically. "They're right behind me, get in!"

Kevin led the others to the back, seeing a massive crowd of zombies step into the alley. Kevin jumped in the van and it sped off, then recognized the driver.

"Dorian!" he said. "Do you know where Leon is?"

"Leon who?"

"He's a friend of mine, new to the force, just got in."

"A rook? No idea. Raymond sent mostly everybody to the game, but he sends rooks out to patrol the streets when the senior officers are busy, he has to be out there somewhere. Poor bastard, what a first night this'll be for him."

"He'll manage," Kevin said. "I just know it. He has to."

"Everybody grab a gun," Dorian said.

"What?" Alyssa said, confused. "Where are you taking us?"

"I got a call from some of the others, they managed to build a blockade and plant bombs in one of the streets that's already been lost to those things. They're trying to blow it sky high, and they need backup."

"Are you goddamn insane!" Alyssa said. "Take us to the RPD now buster!"

"I'm sorry ma'am," Dorian said. "But this is more important right now. You'll get to the department as soon as we clear this mess up."

"Calm yourself Alyssa," Mark said. "You a good shot, we need yo marksmanship, an' we'll be outta here in no time."

"He's right Alyssa," Kevin said. "Besides I always enjoy watching you shoot things in the head! Your hair gets all messy the way I like it." Kevin winked at her. She frowned bitterly, although inside she didn't feel so angry.

The trio equipped themselves, Alyssa with handgun ammo, Mark with a shotgun and Kevin with a magnum revolver. Kevin whistled almost seductively and stroked the gun as if it were dear to him. Dorian drove down the maze of alleys, hitting various zombies head on and with little to no concern or notice of their destruction, until he reached a dead end with a stairway along the side of the alley. He stopped the van and got out, un-holstering his firearm.

"We have to walk from here," he said. "As soon as the situation is under control we'll come back."

"I can't believe we're risking our lives helping these pigs do their jobs!" Alyssa said in a harsh tone.

"That's enough," Kevin said. "The sooner we get there the better!"

The four of them ran up the stairs until they passed through a long bridge overlooking Main Street. Mark peered out into the street, the sight before him like one he could never imagine seeing in his lifetime. He sniffed the air.

"Oh Gawd," he said. "Ah never wanted tah experience that smell again…"

Spread across Main Street was literally a sea of the undead, cramped together and wandering aimlessly, bumping and stumbling into each other. As far as the eyes could see (or until vision was blurred by the smoke rising from the various fires from the stranded cars) zombies covered the entire street. Down below several police officers worked frantically on a device in front of a long line of steel barricades that were the only thing shielding them from the hungry army of undead. Their moans and cries filled the air with a wailing symphony of enduring torture, an everlasting plea for the sweetness of death. Down below a small group of police officers stood guarding a technician, who worked frantically on a small device.

"Eric," Aaron, one of the officers, said. "Hurry up! We don't have the luxury of time!"

"I almost got it," Eric said. "Just give me a few seconds, please!"

"Harry!" Aaron bellowed. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Get over here, they're almost through!"

Harry, a short man with glasses, trembled with fear at the back of the street, his gun shaking in his hand.

"Goddammit Harry!" Aaron said as he heard the first steel barricade fall. "You goddamn coward! We are going to DIE!"

One by one each barricade fell to the ground, and soon the onslaught of zombies were mere inches away. Eric looked up for a second to see their approach, then resumed his work, sweat pouring from his forehead as Aaron fired round after round into the approaching mob.

"COME ON you sons of BITCHES!" Aaron screamed, kicking one zombie aside. He positioned himself in front of Eric in attempt to distract the monsters. He fired and fired until the most horrible sound he had ever heard in his life burned the inside of his ears: the sound of his empty handgun.

He tried desperately to pull a clip from his pocket, but before he could take aim the horde was on him. They grabbed and bit him, scratching his face and arms. He tried to fight them off but three at once pulled him to the ground and drove their decayed and green teeth into his chest and neck. Aaron screamed as blood gushed from his mouth and stared back at Eric.

"Hurry," he muttered before one of the undead ripped into his esophagus.

"Harry!" Eric screamed at his partner. "Please help me! Please Harry!"

Harry's knees shook, and in an instant he bolted away, dropping his gun. Eric cursed to himself and continued working. The horde of zombies slowly turned their attention to him, and step-by-step crept his way. Eric pulled out his single handgun and fired a few rounds, only some of them hitting the things in the head, and very soon he was out. He tossed the gun aside and continued his work, trying to ignore the drips of saliva that fell from directly on top of him. He felt a sharp pain in his shoulder as a zombie chomped into him, but with a newfound focus he ignored the pain and attached two wires together. He shoved the zombie off and attached two more wires.

"There!" he said. "I got it!"

But no sooner than he said it did a zombie grab him from behind and sink it's grimy teeth into his neck. Eric screamed and let go of the device, sending it flying into the sea of undead. The monsters pulled him to the ground and feasted on his screaming, still living body.

Harry sat at the foot of the stairs hiding as Kevin and Mark approached, armed to the teeth.

"What are you doing!" Kevin said.

"I-I-the detonator handle," he said. "You have to go get it! Hurry!"

Kevin ran out to the street as Alyssa and Dorian approached. Alyssa glanced at Harry.

"Coward," she said, giving him a dirty look.

Mark fired round after round into the mob, sending large wide sprays of bullets into the undead.

"Ah can't find it!" he said. "There's too many of them to see!"

Alyssa and Dorian fired round after round as the four formed a circle.

"Hey cowboy," Alyssa said to Kevin. "We'll cover you, go into that group there and have a look!"

"Roger!" Kevin said, running towards a group of zombies. He sent a sidekick into one, pushing it to the ground, then ducked the grab of another and shoved it to the ground with a hard elbow to the chest. He searched the ground, then found the small device. He stepped towards it, but before he could reach it a lumbering figure stood in front of him. He looked up and recognized the now bloody, scratched and mauled face of Aaron, who stared at him with teeth gnashing.

"Aaron," Kevin said.

"Not again!" Alyssa said, trying to find a spot where she could provide aid.

"Shoot him Kevin!" Mark yelled. "He ain't yo friend no more!"

"Please Kevin!" Dorian pleaded. "We can't hold this group off much longer! If you don't do this, we will DIE!"

Kevin looked at Aaron again, who had begun to slowly tread toward him. Kevin grit his teeth and reached for his .45 pistol.

"I'm sorry, Aaron," he said, taking aim.

The walking cadaver that once was Aaron let out a frightening wale and took long strides toward Kevin, grabbing him arms. The incredible power of Aaron's physique overwhelmed Kevin, who tried hard to keep Aaron's gaping maw from his face. Slowly Kevin maneuvered his gun nearer and neared to Aaron's head until he pointed it directly between his eyes, then pulled the trigger. Aaron's head exploded in a shower of crimson, and Kevin shoved his now lifeless body to the side and grabbed the device. He ran back to the group.

"What should I do!" he asked Dorian.

"There, push the switch down! NOW!" Dorian responded, trying to push off a zombie that clung to him.

Kevin looked at the device and saw the switch.

"DO IT KEVIN!" Mark screamed. "DO IT!"

Kevin looked into the immense sea of dead, then put his hand on the switch.

"Hey guys," he said with a smirk. "I smell toasted marshmallows!" then pushed the switch in.

An immense, deafening explosion arose from the concrete ground of Main Street, burning and tossing groups of zombies in every direction, and was quickly followed by another and another, sending bodies left and right against building walls, many of the bodies eradicated just from contact with the gigantic fireball. The sight resembled an aerial assault the likes of which obliterated military bases coming from below, a glorious eruption of human bodies and flame. The group of survivors retreated, but Alyssa tripped over a body and fell to her knees. She struggled to her feet as a sudden loud whistling filled the air. She looked up to see a gray car flipping and hurling directly her way.

"LOOK OUT!"

Kevin dove forward and grabbed Alyssa from the waist, shoving her just out of way as the car smashed face first into the concrete, only inches from the two's bodies. The car's front was smashed and it spun around like a top for a few seconds. Alyssa and Kevin glared at the twirling and once aerial vehicle in utter shock. Alyssa then noticed Kevin's position as he held her from the waist as if in embrace. Alyssa shoved him off.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" she said. "Trying to feel me up! Perv!"

"Geez," Kevin said. "You were almost a former human being a second ago. Good thing you're thankful!"

Alyssa got up and dusted herself off as Mark and Dorian approached.

"Are you okay?" Mark asked.

"Fine," Alyssa said, crossing her arms angrily. Kevin dusted himself off.

"You owe me now, Alyssa." He said. "I saved your life, and now you're in my debt!"

"I don't think so," she said. "I'd rather be dead than owe YOU anything!"

"Say what you want," Kevin said. "You know very well that you would NOT be here if it weren't for me."  
"I would have moved!" she said, clenching her fists. "I don't need YOU or ANY man to save me! ESPECIALLY not you! You hear me pal?"

Kevin laughed. "Just remember, Alyssa. You owe me."

Kevin swaggered towards Dorian, who was breathing deeply, still moving on his adrenaline.

"Well," Kevin said putting out his thumb out and pointing behind him at the massive pile of charred and burned bodies that covered the crates in Main Street. "I'll tell you one thing, I am NOT cleaning up this mess!"


	11. Chapter 11

11. Go-Live. Stay-Die. Your choice.

Jim and Yoko sped down the alley, fists and legs pumping, Jim's high pitched, wheezy and labored breathing barely discernable from the moaning of the zombies.

"Hoo," he said between breaths. "I gotta, huff, work out more! Huff. That's what happens, huff, when you, huff, sit my black ass on a train all damn day! Huff. I need a fuckin' union!"

"David!" Yoko said, looking back to see if he was still following.

"Man I told you, huff," Jim said. "Leave that fool ta' die!"

Yoko stopped and looked back, her chest heaving in and out, hoping he would emerge from the darkness.

"C'mon Yoko, don't stop!" Jim yelled, still running, only to find that around the next corner was a group of the undead, blocking his path to any sort of freedom he could have hoped for. "Shit! Shit! We're fucked, man! I dunno what to do! SOMEBODY HELP MEEEE!"

Yoko screamed as another zombie emerged from the shadows directly beside her. She took a few steps back and found herself pinned against the wall. "Stay back!" she screamed, cowering like a small child against the wall. The zombie loomed over her and opened its rotting mouth, a long string of saliva mixed with blood dripping onto her jeans, when David bolted forward and tripped the zombie from behind, knocking it to the ground, then stabbed it in the throat at least ten times. Yoko saw the look in David's eyes, and felt herself more frightened by that sight than she did only inches away from the hideous monster. Never before had she seen such violence, even if the zombie was already dead, and the darkness, the utter focus and the completely natural way that David gored and mutilated the corpse sent a chill up Yoko's spine. David continued to stab it until the head completely dislodged from the body and rolled around on the ground. David got up and glared down at Yoko, his shirt and part of his face stained with blood and his chest heaving in and out, not from his having run after them, but from the rush of his fresh kill.

"What are you doing?" he said. "Get up and keep moving!"

Jim came running back and grabbed David by the shirt.

"You gotta help! They're coming, they're coming! DON'T LET THEM KILL POOR JIM!"

David looked behind him and saw the group advancing. He searched around and saw a familiar door.

"This way, move your ass!" he said, sprinting forward and turning left towards a door. Yoko and Jim quickly followed, and as soon as they were in David shut the door behind them and locked it.

They stood in a plaza, the center of the Apple Inn, which overlooked all three floors of the hotel. David felt confident this was a better place than any to be in, since he at least knew the place well enough. It was better than being out on those streets, at the very least. He looked around and recognized the door to the boiler room. He searched his pockets and pulled out a ring of keys.

"What is this shit, man?" Jim said, searching around. "A hotel? Phat! I can find a bed, and get me some eats, yo. Jim needs a lil' shut eye, he been workin' all damn day without havin' to worry about no zombies all up in his shit!"

"Do you ever shut up?" David said. "You could learn something from Yoko."

Yoko was off looking through the windows when she heard David's comment. She turned away to look back at him, when a skinny, almost lizard like form crawled past the window like an enormous, mutated gecko with no epidermis. Yoko glanced back and the window and swore she had seen something move. Before she should get a closer look David opened the door.

"C'mon," he said.

The three of them entered the room and David looked around, Yoko noticed a long steel pipe on the floor and picked it up, just in case. The chugging of the boiler had gotten louder and the room was filled with steam, even hotter than the last time he was there. He began to realize he'd made a mistake, when he heard footsteps clanging against metal above their heads.

"Hey!" a voice said. David looked up saw two firemen peering down at them. "Are you three okay? Any of you infected?"

Jim stood behind David and covered his still wrapped and blood stained shoulder.

"Nope! Not us!" he said.

"We're evacuating the building," one of them said. "Gill, let's,"

Suddenly the boiler began to whistle and growl, an intense anger that seemed almost human.

"What's going on!" the fireman said.

"Shit!" David said. "It's going to blow! Get out, NOW!"

David sped out the door followed by the other two as the confused fireman decided to follow his advice, despite the fact he didn't understand, but his actions were too delayed as the boiler erupted, sending a wave of flames up into the rafters and charred the fireman whole. On the other side Gill, his partner, reached for the door, when it suddenly vaulted forward and slammed him against the wall, the fire shooting it out like a cannon so hard it knocked Gill unconscious.

Jim and Yoko were first through the door as David tried to shut the door, but the explosion also sent him flying backward at least fifteen feet onto his back, the door on top of him. Stunned, he lay on the ground grunting to him self as Jim walked up to him and knocked on the steel door over David's body.

"Anybody home? House keeping! HA HA HA! Aaaaah I crack myself up!" he said, holding his stomach as he laughed. David shoved the door off and sat up, holding his head.

"David," Yoko said, grabbing his arm. "Do you have a concussion?"

"Hmph…no." he said.

"Are you hurt? Is anything broken?"

"What are you talking about, I'm fine."

"What the hell do we do now?" Jim said.

Before anyone could answer a window above them exploded with fire, the glass falling like rain from the sky. A large chunk of concrete landing a few feet from them as a bright glow began to resonate from the window. The explosion had caused a fire, which was growing at an incredible rate.

"Holy shit!" Jim said. "You see that shit! It almost landed on me!

David got to his feet and looked at one of the windows. It was built into the walls of the hotel so he couldn't just life it open, then he tried elbowing and kicking it, but found the glass was far too thick for him to break with his bare hands, despite his well conditioned and tough body. If anything the owner, Chamberlain, took pride in securing the hotel to make sure it wasn't easy to break in, or out of.

"Shit," David complained, but then saw the steel pipe Yoko had brought with her from the boiler room, then the chunk of large concrete that lay on the floor, and the wheels in his head began turning. He lifted the concrete piece and weighed it in his hand, then lifted the pipe, banging it against the ground to test its durability.

"Man," Jim said, laughing. "This is just like the beginning of that flick 2001 Space Odyssey where those primate, caveman freaks are makin' new weapons to get some grub with!"

David ignored his comments then went to work, taping up the pipe and hammer together. He lifted the new weapon up with one hand, then swung it to the side making a heavy _whoosh_ sound. He then walked up to the window like a batter steps up to the plate and lifted the custom-made sledgehammer with both hands.

"You two should move," he said to Yoko and Jim, who stepped back. David then swung the hammer and shattered the thick glass in an instant. David then climbed through the opening and motioned for the others to follow. They did so and David scanned the hallways. He considered whether or not to give one of the others his weapon, and decided it was better if he was in control. He didn't enjoy being unable to control the situation, and had previously done so only from a strictly utilitarian perspective: more guns in a fire fight means more targets for the enemy.

David crept down the dark hallway, the crackling and grumbling of the fire a few stories above them becoming louder. It was spreading. On the wall an old painting stared at them, the man's portrait stained with splotches of blood, as a long streak of crimson covered the wall nearby, a bloody hand print showing whatever was there was clawing at the wall in agony. Yoko became nervous as Jim flipped his coin.

"Well," Jim said. "Guess you got lucky, Davey boy, you turned up a heads. So I'll just stick with you for now, till I find a way outta this shitty hotel. But first I gots a find a bed!"

David was so focused on caution that he barely heard Jim's commentary. He slithered down the hall until a right turn. As he looked around the corner, a door right beside him opened up and a figure stepped out. David lifted his weapon and stepped forward, ready to smash the sledgehammer into the figure's head, when it spoke.

"WAIT! Hold on a second!" said a man wearing a gray jump suit. David stopped himself, but held his weapon at the ready.

"Who are you?" David asked.

"Oh shit," the man said, looking at David's face. "You're David King! Holy shit I know you! It's me, Johnny!"

David lowered his weapon. "Johnny the Bull Layfield?"

"Yeah!" the man stepped forward and David recognized his outfit as the one prisons in the state penitentiary wore. "Man, I heard all about you, in fact I talked to Doug right before you,"

David put his hand out to shush him. "Shut it," he said, looking toward Yoko and Jim who were baffled at what was going on. "If you want to stay alive, we'll hafta stay together. Don't fall behind or get lost, or you WILL die. I know this place."

"Is this where you've been?" Johnny said with a laugh. "Man, I never thought David King would end up as a janitor to some old hotel."

"I could just leave you here," David said, his anger increasing. "Is that what you want?"

"No no," Johnny said putting his hands out. "Of course not. Not when I got the Iceman David King with me!"

David harrumphed and proceeded up a flight of stairs to the second floor as the group followed him. Yoko glanced over to Johnny, who gave her a strange, almost sick smirk that made her uneasy.

They strolled he halls a bit until they reached the unconscious Gill. David slowly snuck along the wall to see if he was still alive, or if he was one of those things yet. He slowly put his hand out, Gill's body motionless, and placed it on his shoulder. He shook him a bit, when Gill screamed. David jumped back and raised his weapon as Gill looked around confused, finding it hard to see with his thick, heavy fireman's helmet and facemask clouding his vision. He grabbed a wooden axe next to him.

"Who are you?" Gill said, raising the axe.

"Are you infected?" David asked, unrelenting.

"What? No, no."

David lowered his weapon.

"My name is Gill, I'm a member of the fire department. Since the police have their hands full we were sent in here to evacuate the premises. Len went to check the boiler room, when it suddenly exploded! I don't think…Len made it…"

"So that was you up here," David said.

"Are there any more people in the building that you know of?" Gill asked.

David thought for a minute.

"Yes. The owner. And…" he tried to remember the little girl's name. "Anna."

"Okay," Gill said. "We'll have to split up. This place is going to be engulfed in fire soon, so time is of the essence. One group follow me, I'll look for the owner, and the others find that girl. If you find anybody else, keep them with you. We'll meet at the lobby, we should be okay there. There's an emergency ladder on the terrace overlooking that room we can use to get down, I've already activated it. Let's get moving."

"I'm stickin' with the man with the axe!" Jim said, running to Gill. "Can't rely on McGuyver's Home Improvement thingamajigs. Sides, we brothahs gotta look out for each other my man! Can't trust all these white folks runnin' around crampin' my style!"

Gill began to regret he'd allowed grouping by volunteer.

"I'll go with you too," Johnny said in a strange tone.

"Then you, girl, go with him," Gill said pointing to David.

"Hmph," David said.

The two groups split, with David and Yoko climbing a flight of stairs to the third floor.

"David," Yoko said in a low tone.

"What," David said, not as a reply but more out of annoyance.

"Are you scared?" she asked.

David gave no response.

On the third floor hallway the fire had reached the middle of the hall, blocking them off from the girl's room.

"We're gonna hafta go around," David said, opening a door to his right.

The two stepped in and David opened the window. He looked outside and saw a fire escape that led to another room. He motioned Yoko to follow and helped her get on the metal railing. He opened the window to the room and stepped in. The room itself was fairly empty except for a body that lay on the floor near the door. David pulled out his folding knife and advanced carefully. He walked over to the body and moved it with his foot. No response. He then turned the body over and recognized the man's face. It was a security guard employed by the town that he often saw roaming the hallways at night. He had only spoken with him briefly once, so it didn't bother him the guy was dead. Looking at his body again, he saw a gaping hole where his stomach should have been, many of his intestines missing. Yoko tried not to look at the body.

"What the fuck did this," David asked more to himself than to Yoko. He inspected the man's body and found a black Beretta handgun, which he pocketed, along with any bullets the man still had. Out of curiosity he inspected the door, leaning against it, feeling a warmth on the other side trying to get in.

"We'd better not try to go around this way," he said. "We'll end up barbeque."

He then looked around the room and noticed a large crack in the wall. He approached it and remembered that he had filed a report on one of his routine inspections about a large crack in the wall. If he remembered correctly, it was the room right next to the one the girl had been in.

David stood against the wall and listened for any noise.

"Anna," he called out. The walls weren't very thick so he thought she might hear him. "Anna, this is David. Do you remember? Are you there?"

There was no response.

David raised the hammer and slammed it against the wall several times, the crack growing larger, until gradually he was able to make a small hole, the pipe bending slightly and the concrete breaking a little more with each impact. He handed the hammer to Yoko, who nearly dropped it with its incredible weight, and looked through the hole. He could see the bathroom of the next room.

"Yoko," he said. "Crawl through there, and check in the room, I'll be right there in a second."

Yoko nodded. "Okay."

She crawled through the hole fairly easily, but wasn't sure if David would fit. David began to follow, when he heard a low, hushed breathing somewhere in the room. He took out the gun and searched cautiously, listening in silence. He heard the faint wet plucking of small, suction like feet against the wall. He tried to measure its distance but found it difficult. Soon it emerged from the shadows, it's lizard like body crawling along the wall. It breathed out with a low uuuuh and hissed.

"If it isn't Mr. Ugly," he said, aiming his gun. Before he could pull the trigger the thing opened its mouth and shot out its long, wet tongue, and with the force of a whip it knocked the gun out of David's hand, cutting his wrist so that he bled. David frowned.

"I've squashed bugs bigger than you," he said, pulling out his knife.

"David?" Yoko called from the other side. "What's happening?"

"Get the girl, dammit," he said. "I have a new friend to take care of."

David ran forward as the thing shot out its tongue; this time David dodged it and made a swipe at its head, which looked nearly transparent because the various folds and lines resembled an exposed brain. It shrieked and stepped away, then climbed the walls. It lashed its whip tongue out, scratching David in the face and back.

"Spiderman you ain't," David said.

He managed to dodge the attacks from the ceiling stationed creature and reached for the gun, but the monster whipped its tongue and pushed it out of the way. It then turned itself and leaped at David, knocking him against the wall with a thud and stunning him. Slowly it crept towards him and opened its mouth, then shot the tongue out aimed directly at his head. David swayed to the side, the tongue barely missing, and plunged his knife through the creature's tongue and pinned it against the wall. The thing let out a horrific scream of agony that sounded more like nails being dragged on a chalkboard, entirely inhuman. David then grabbed the handgun and walked toward the licker and placed the gun point blank against its exposed brain.

"See you in hell, you ugly piece of,"

BLAM BLAM BLAM

Yoko meanwhile opened the door to the next room. The lights were dim, making it hard for her to make out anything. The television set fizzed on, no reception except the undying hum of static. Yoko looked around the room, putting her hands out to search through the darkness. She finally came upon a lamp sitting on a nightstand and turned it on. The light illuminated and Yoko was startled to see a small child sitting at the edge of the bed, her back towards Yoko.

"Anna?" Yoko said.

The girl didn't respond. Yoko looked at a small notebook sitting on the bed.

_I met a man named David today._

_Something bit me. It hurts._

_I'm so hungry. Itchy._

_Daddy came back._

_I bit daddy._

_Daddy died._

_Hungry._

The rest was smeared with blood. Yoko looked at the girl again, who was now standing. She let out a weak, droning moan and turned towards Yoko. Her lips and teeth were covered in blood and a large chunk of her neck was gone, apparently ripped off. She slowly walked around the bed and towards Yoko, who stepped away.

"No," she said. "Oh my God, no. She's so young,"

The girl stepped over the body of a man whose neck had been ripped to shreds and whose arm was bitten in various places, leaving some of the bone and muscle exposed. The girl let out a horrific scream that surprised Yoko, when David emerged from the bathroom. Yoko looked towards him and so did the girl.

"Oh no," David said.

The dead child growled and moaned, then slowly dragged its feet towards David. David pulled out his gun.

"She's just a child," Yoko said, sobbing. "She's just a little girl."

David pointed the gun at her head, and for the first time in his life, he hesitated to pull the trigger. The girl was only inches from him and she reached out towards him. David felt his legs turn to mush and his arms suddenly twitch and shake with fright, barely able to grasp the gun. For a second he lowered it, his mind fooled into believing this really was a child, a little girl that at one time could talk. The girl opened her mouth to bite David's arm.

"No," he said.

BLAM

The girl's tiny body collapsed to the floor, her head thumping hard against the ground. Yoko had turned away and sat with legs crossed sobbing in the corner. The gun in David's hand felt as if it weighed a thousand pounds. His normally tight muscles turned to jello and his knees crumbled under his own weight. He dropped the gun to the floor with a thud, then turned around and walked silently into the bathroom. He stood over the toilet, feeling nauseous. His stomach did back flips and his intestines tied in a not. He wished to God that he could throw up, just to simmer down the sick feeling he had and to lighten the heaviness he felt pull him down to earth. He never hesitated before. But this was a child.

"A goddamn kid," he said.

He tried to place blame on her father. What kind of man let's their own daughter, so young, alone, all day in a hotel with strangers? What kind of idiot would do that to somebody they're supposed to care about?

He felt a surge of emotion rise up into his throat and manifest itself into green vomit that splashed violently into the toilet bowl. David vomited only once, but it felt like it lasted forever, all the guilt and shock of the situation now sitting in the bowels of that bowl. He didn't feel any less sick, but his still felt some degree of relief. He took deep breaths then stood up. He wiped the chunks of puke from his chin and washed his hands in the sink. His gloves were blood stained and dirty with her blood. He took them off and threw them in the trash.

Slowly he emerged from the bathroom, Yoko still crying, but now trying to position the corpse of the girl in a position that at least looked peaceful. David picked up the gun and forced his face to harden. Yoko looked at him curiously, seeing something in his eyes that wasn't there before. It irritated him.

"Let's go," he said, the coldness that usually accompanies his manner quickly returning. Yoko got up and the two made their way to the door. David looked back at the girl's body one more time, then left without a word.


	12. Chapter 12

12. City of Monsters…What a Joke

David and Yoko walked the halls in silence for a few minutes, when David heard a commotion from behind him. He pulled out his folding knife and looked around cautiously as Yoko trekked on, expecting to see one of those things again. He then could make out voices from the floor below him, when an explosion erupted not but a few feet behind him through the wall. The blast knocked him back and knocked Yoko forward, the two of them on opposing sides of the blast, which made a giant, fiery crater and sent the floor between them collapsing to the floor below. David could make out Gill's voice and Jim's sniveling cowardice even through the fire. David looked at the gap between himself and Yoko as well as the raging fire standing in the wall like a gigantic, fiery wallflower.

"Keep moving," he said to Yoko. "I'll go around somehow, and we'll get to the lobby."

David disappeared from Yoko's sight from behind the fire, which caused Yoko wince from the heat. She looked around and saw a door down the hallway and walked through it, the label "Maintenance" on it. Inside was a small, tightly packed room with a small desk, twin lockers, and a toolbox. Yoko searched around a bit, seeing nothing in the room particularly special, except for a small notebook that lay on the desktop. She picked it up curiously and skimmed through the pages.

_I met a man named Frankie today._

_I killed him._

_It didn't feet any different from the other ones, despite the face he was supposed to be my friend. Maybe I am as cold as they say I am. Maybe I really don't give two shits about human life. I don't see what's the big deal. He had to die. Everybody dies some time, why not get it over with?_

_The pen stinks. It sucks. That's all there is to it. I can't believe the family just let me stay here and rot. The whole thing was a big screw job, I should've seen in coming. But I was so naïve. I never trusted anybody before, and look what happens. But I'm gonna bust out, and I'll get that son of a bitch back for leaving me to die while the cops busted our asses inside out. From now on, I trust nobody except the man in the mirror. If you have a heart beat, I'm going to carve it out of your stinking, heaving chest and serve it to you on a fucking platter before you even get the chance to think about fucking with David King. Wait till Reno's boys see what I do with their prized petuna Charlie._

_Johnny the Bull is a washed out loser. He kills out of sadistic joy. At least I do it for the money, and at least I got my own standards. Kids and women are out. He doesn't give a shit. It's the people like him that should be in here. All I've ever done was iced people who had it coming, nothing to it. They deserved to die, and I was the one who had to kill em'. Johnny the Bull is a joke, he has no style, no sense. He's just a kid playing He-Man, a stupid kid with no brains at all. I'd gut him myself if I had the chance._

_I fucked Johnny's world up. Built myself a custom shank out of a toothbrush and shanked him good. Stupid bastard didn't even recognize me through the mask, and he probably thinks Rico did it. It'll play out perfectly, and the dumb bastard won't have a clue._

_Raccoon City. It's not much but it'll have to do. The search parties will be combing the place, I gotta find a low profile job that'll keep me busy and get me some cash. No way in hell I'm going back to the fuckin' pen. You'd have to make me a corpse if you wanted even a chance at getting' me back there. I'll ice anybody who finds out. But nobody will. Nobody._

_Chamberlain is going to die. I'm going to kill this stupid fuck and burn his ugly, decaying body in the fucking furnace._

_There's a little girl on the third floor by herself. What kind of man leaves a child on their own? She talks too much, pisses me off, but she isn't bad, I guess. I hate the thought of kids being left alone…reminds me of the orphanage._

Yoko stopped reading when she heard a loud thud. She looked around the room and noticed a crack in the floor. She peered through and saw Gill lying on the floor, Johnny standing over him with the axe in his hand. As Johnny finished the job Yoko covered her mouth to keep from screaming and turned away from the crack. She looked again and saw Johnny spreading Gill's blood all over his chest and face and shuddering as if in a euphoric, almost orgasmic state, his entire body shaking with erotic pleasure. He put his head up, then opened his eyes, which met with Yoko's. Yoko gasped and stood up, her legs shaking. Had he seen her? She glanced through the crack again, and saw only Gill's blood soaked body, the axe that once rested in his head like it would a tree trunk now gone. Yoko stepped back when a door behind her burst open. She turned around and screamed, but saw that it was David, standing in front of a door she hadn't noticed, a fire raging behind him, apparently the room where the explosion occurred. Yoko absent-mindedly held the notebook in her hand, and David realized immediately what had happened.

"What the hell are you doing?" he said, advancing forward, the fire behind him growling with rage.

Yoko stepped away.

"What did you read?" David said, clutching his folding knife tighter. "How much did you read, Yoko?"

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't know,"

David's face grew darker and colder despite the hellish flames that grew louder and angrier behind him.

"Now that you know…"

Suddenly the locker burst open and a zombie, arms outstretched, embraced David, gnashing its teeth that were only inches away from David's neck. He struggled with the thing keeping its face away with one hand as Yoko crawled past them under the desk. She then burst out of the room and ran down the hall, running as fast as she could.

She soon found another door that led to a stairway, which she followed until the second floor, which was blocked off from the first floor by the fire. She walked through a door and followed a hallway until she reached a staff room. In there she saw an opening behind a bookcase that appeared to have been shoved aside and walked through it. In the next room was a series of catwalks directly over the lobby, which was so far down a fall from there would kill a person. Yoko searched around and saw that the emergency ladder Gill mentioned was up.

"But," she muttered to herself. "The fireman said he left it down."

"He did say that, didn't he?"

Yoko spun around and screamed. Directly behind her, Johnny stood shirtless and covered in blood, tipping the head of the bloody axe head up and down with his hand and a smirk on his face. He walked towards Yoko, holding the axe forward near to her face, the blood on the sharp edges dripping down onto her shoes.

"What you got there, girl?" he said, eyeing the notebook, then snatching it out of her hand. He held the axe against her throat with one hand and began reading with the other, when David emerged from the shadows. Johnny smiled.

"King! There ya are!" Johnny said. "I was just gonna have a lil' fun with miss Yoko Ono here."

"What the fuck happened to you?" David said.

"I just gave that darkie we met earlier somethin' to think about. Damn, he died pathetically."

"Give me the book," David said, putting his hand out. Johnny's expression became suspicious.

"Hey I know you're David King and all man, I respect you and shit, but who the fuck are you to tell ME what to do?" he said, pointing to himself with the axe.

"Just give it to me, Johnny," David said, still putting his hand out.

Johnny slung the axe over his shoulder and laughed.

"Ya' know," he said. "I haven't read a good book in a long time. I'll bet this is the bitch's diary! Wouldn't it be nice to read her own words before she died? That's some cryptic shit, you'd love it King! Now let's see,"

"GIVE me the BOOK Johnny," David ordered aggressively.

Johnny began to read one of the passages in the book aloud.

"Johnny the Bull is a washed out loser…what the fuck? Johnny the Bull is a joke, he has no style, no sense. He's just a kid playing He-Man, a stupid kid with no brains at all…" Johnny read further. "I fucked Johnny's world up. Built myself a custom shank out of a toothbrush and shanked him good. Stupid bastard didn't even recognize me through the mask, and he probably thinks Rico did it. It'll play out perfectly, and the dumb bastard won't have a clue."

Johnny looked at the book and then David, his chest heaving in and out with an inner fire that swelled with each breath. The fires of hell burned deep in his eyes.

"You sorry son of a bitch," he said, tossing the book to the ground. "YOU fuckin' shanked me, YOU! You have ANY idea how much of my people DIED cuz of what you did! The war that raged between us and Rico's cronies all cuz of you? And you used it to escape, didn't you?"

David gave a half harrumphed chuckle.

"What…in the FUCK…is SO goddamn FUNNY!" Johnny said, squeezing the handle of the axe with both hands.

"You're still a pathetic IDIOT, Johnny." David said spitefully with intent to challenge.

With a loud roar Johnny lifted the axe and ran towards David, screaming wildly and looking more like a beast than a man. He swung the axe only inches from David's chest, then swung again with incredible force, this time hacking off a piece of the catwalk railing. Yoko cowered in the corner, watching the carnage unleash.

David pulled out his knife and ducked under a horizontal slash from Johnny, then ran past him while slicing his rib. Johnny let out a short yelp, then quickly regained himself and swung again. David jumped back and stood in a defensive position, his legs spread and his arms out, awaiting Johnny's next attack. The two circled a bit like lions, then Johnny brought the axe in a vertical, downward angle aimed at David's head, but David dodged to the side and grabbed the axe with one hand. He then stabbed Johnny in the rib with his knife, causing him to scream out in pain, but quickly Johnny responded with a head butt to David's face, stunning him and forcing him to stagger back. Johnny charged toward David, the knife still stuck in his ribs, when a section of the roof fell behind him, igniting the left side of the catwalk. Johnny turned back towards David, who was on his back, and slowly lifted the axe over his head while laughing like a madman. Yoko, out of desperation, ran forward and grabbed the axe, which Johnny had reared all the way back.

"What the!" he said, realizing what was going on. She struggled to try and pull the axe away, but Johnny's larger frame allowed him to easily shove her off. He then turned towards her and readied himself for attack, when David grabbed him from the shoulders and shoved him against the fire, then held him in there, charring his body and setting his jumpsuit on fire. Johnny dropped the axe, sending it far down onto the lobby floor, as he shrieked in excruciating pain, the smell of his burning flesh rushing through David's nostrils. David then pulled out his knife from Johnny's rib and stood back, letting the now flame consumed murderer flail about in agony. David then pinned him against the catwalk railing and sliced and stabbed him up to twenty times in the stomach and chest, then shoved the knife into his throat, stopping the horrific screaming.

"Just quit bitchin' and deal with it," David said, pulling his knife out and shoving him off of the railing, sending his fiery corpse to the floor with a vicious thud. David breathed heavily, then glanced over at Yoko, who looked at him with more fear than she did with the former axe murderer. David walked up to her and stared long and hard, his dark eyes making contact with hers, then turned his attention to the device that operated the ladder. He flicked it on, sending the ladder down to the lobby below, then looked at Yoko again.

"I didn't need your help," he said, pulling out the handgun he acquired earlier. "I had a gun."

Yoko gave no response. David gave a low, muttered laugh.

"But thanks anyway," he said, then climbed down the ladder. "Hurry up, we're almost there."

David and Yoko climbed the ladder down when they heard a door burst open in the back of the room. David readied himself for anything, but was relieved to see it was only Jim, a pair of women's underpants sticking out of his pants.

"Hey! If it isn't Yo-Yo Yoko and her Tarzan friend David Bowie!" Jim said gleefully. "How the hell'd you guys get here? You shoulda seen the shit I saw! Daaaayum! But good ol' Jim was just too fast for em', with they long, ugly ass tongues cuttin' people's heads off and shit."

"Just shut up, so we can leave," David said.

"You a cold ass mothah fucker, you know that man?" Jim said. "Where's the exit, my crew? Lead Jim to the way out!"

The three proceeded to the long hallway past the reception area. Jim's eyes opened wide as he saw the door.

"It might be electronically locked," David said. "Shit, where did Chamberlain put the controls again?"

"Ooooooh man, fuck that, let's break the shit down!" Jim said, rushing down the hallway. "Freedom at last! Thank you God! Freeee,"

Suddenly a large grating above Jim crashed to the ground, and Jim lifted his head to see a red skinned, disfigured licker, twice the size of the others, emerge from a large air vent. It lashed its tongue out, which wrapped around Jim's neck, then flung him backward into David and Yoko.

The large monster then crawled out of the vent and onto the floor, then slowly crept towards the three. David recognized the face of the monstrosity as that of Mr. Regis Chamberlain, the hotel owner.

"What the hell happened," David said, getting to his feet.

"OH SHIT! OH SHIT!" Jim said, scrambling away from the creature. "That's it! We're fucked man, we're FUCKED! We gonna DIE NOW!"

David reached for his gun when the monster whipped it out of his hand, then tripped him with its tongue. It dragged him around violently, knocking him against furniture and flinging him against the wall. David shook his head, stunned from the impact, then rolled to the side to dodge a whip attack from the thing's tongue. He then realized he was next to the fiery corpse of Johnny and rolled it over in front of him, using it as a shield, but easily the Regis Licker's tongue pierced through Johnny's body like a spear, then lifted it into the air and flung it aside as if it weighed nothing. David then tried to get up, but the thing grabbed him from the legs and lifted him upside down, pulling David close to its pale, empty eyes as if to taunt him. David barely recognized his old boss.

"I didn't think you could get any uglier," David said, spitting in the thing's face, which resulted in David being flung across the room and against the wall, knocking him dizzy.

"Just when you think it's over, BAM! Some big, ugly fuckin' MONSTER jumps out!" Jim said, running to the door he entered from, only to find himself cut off by at least five or so smaller lickers, all of which breathed heavily and slowly crept towards him. Jim panicked, tripping on his own feet, then pressed a button on the receptionist's desk, which set off a loud, whaling alarm. The lickers scampered around in shock and surprise, then began attacking the alarm positioned against the wall with their tongues.

Jim looked on in awe as Yoko tried to figure out what to do. She then spotted the axe sitting on the floor as the Regis Licker crept over to David's barely moving body. The monster that used to be Chamberlain let out its long tongue, ready to pierce David through the chest, when Yoko ran forward and swung the axe into the thing's back.

The Regis shrieked loudly, then tossed its tongue back, shoving Yoko violently against the ladder and pulled the axe out of its back, tossing it aside. The Regis approached Yoko, wrapping its tongue around her entire body, then lifted her up into the air and began to squeeze with the strength of an anaconda. Yoko screamed in pain when David shook his head and saw the axe lying by his side. He grabbed it, then noticed the Regis Licker still had Chamberlain's clothes on. David then pulled out his lighter and ran towards the monster, shoving the axe deep into the back of its neck like a mountain climber and flicking the lighter on, setting the thing on fire. It screamed loudly and waved Yoko around violently, but David reared the axe back and flung it into the air, cutting the licker's tongue in half and sending Yoko spiraling down to the floor with a hard thud. The licker then flailed about in pain, rolling left and right trying to extinguish itself. David pulled out his folding knife and walked up to the monster, then proceeded to stab it between the eyes hard and stomped it repeatedly as if driving a metal pike down. David then looked down at the horrible, disfigured mess that used to be his boss.

"Poor bastard," he said.

David then picked up Yoko, who unconscious, and called for Jim to follow.

"Holy shit!" Jim said. "Who the fuck was that!"

"My boss," David said.

"Dayum," Jim said. "You think he'll give you that big raise now after you stab 'im in the face like that! Sheeeit, wish I could do that to my boss!"

The three approached the door and David's fears proved right, the door was electronically locked.

"Break it down!" David said.

"Who the fuck you think I am Samuel Jackson?" Jim said. "I ain't bustin' my fist for nothin'!"  
"Then get the gun," David said turning back to the lobby, but found that the other lickers were not approaching, the fire alarm having turned off.

"Aw shit," Jim said. "Those things are comin' now! WHAT WE GONNA DO!"

Suddenly the glass from the door behind them burst and they looked back to see a fireman hacking away at the door with his axe, then kick it down valiantly.

"You made it!" he said. "Hurry, now!"

The three ran through the door as a policeman armed with a shotgun stepped in and wasted the oncoming lickers. A fireman escorted Jim, David and Yoko to a nearby police van.

"Is she alive?" The fireman asked, pointing at Yoko.

"Yes," David said. "But she's unconscious."

"Is there anybody else in there?" he asked.

"No," David said. "Not alive, anyway."

"Oh thank you man thank you THANK YOU!" Jim said hugging the fireman. "Thank you mister fireman! Ya' know I wanted ta' be a fireman when I was growin' up, had the truck an' all that shit!"

_In her unconscious state, various images flashed before Yoko's eyes. At first they were blurry, and she began to hear echoed, muffled voices. Soon the image of a woman, about in her late thirties became somewhat clear. She was dressed in an orange, leather Umbrella uniform, much like the one Yoko had found in her room. The woman's mouth was open as if in a state of shock, her hair tied back behind her head. She dropped to her knees and looked at her stomach, which was bright red with blood. Her intestines spilled out and onto the cold concrete floor. She then looked up at Yoko._

"_Yoko," she said. "What…..have you……done?"_

_The woman then collapsed to the ground and died, a permanent expression of horror etched into her face._

Yoko sat up in the police van, sweating profusely and breathing heavily. She looked around in confusion until David put his hands on her shoulders.

"Hey," he said. "You okay?"

Yoko looked at David, not seeing the same darkness, the same coldness that frightened her so much before. She calmed herself.

"Are we," she said, not finishing her sentence.

"They're taking us to the police station," David said. "They have a temporary shelter there."

David then sat quietly, Jim sitting up front and chatting with the driver, although it would probably be more like annoying the driver than anything. Yoko looked at David.

"I'm sorry about your diary," she said. "I didn't know it was yours."

David didn't respond.

"But why," she asked hesitantly. "Why did you kill all those people?"

The answer was easy for David. "Money. I need money. Don't you? Doesn't everyone?"

"Yes," Yoko said. "But, you're not a bad person. I don't think so. You're so, so angry."

"Hmph."

"Why did you help me," she asked. "When that, thing, was going to kill me? You could have just left. Why did you help me?"

David didn't answer at first. "There's something about you," he said. "You're hiding something."

Yoko looked surprised.

"I can tell from your every movement, every step you take, it isn't fear; you act as if you're stepping on broken glass. And if you step too hard or too fast, you're gonna cut yourself and remember something you don't want to. I know what that's like, running from a past you wish you could just forget. But it never leaves you. Never. You just have to accept that it's going to be a part of you until the day you die. And it's not my time to die yet, or yours."

"You said," Yoko continued. "In your diary, you said anybody who found out about you, you would kill them."

"I don't kill people," David said. "Unless they deserve to die. And you don't, not yet. Besides, now that you know who I am, I need to find out who you are."

David sat up in his seat.

"Just who are you?" he asked curiously.

Yoko had no answer for him.


	13. Chapter 13

13. The Thing That Wouldn't Die

George carried Cindy in his arms until she felt strong enough to walk on here own. Her knees felt wobbly at first, but soon she was walking beside him down the dark sewers. George was glad to see her well again, but remained silent. He glanced over at her, the fear he once felt inside him absent. He never felt that way about Collette.

"Do you think the others are okay?" Cindy said.

"I don't know," George said. "But that's kind of you to think of them at a time like this."

"If it weren't for them," she said. "We might not be alive. I really do hope they're still alive."

"Yeah," George said. The truth is she was right, and he was thankful to them, but they had more important things to think about right now. Cindy was so unselfish, but he feared that would be the end of her. Even back during her days training to become a nurse, he…

No, he thought to himself. Musn't think of those times. Even though he enjoyed remembering the days he first met Cindy in the hospital, it all went back to that single moment that has eaten him from the inside for so long, the guilty burning through his stomach like acid.

And so George said nothing, until they reached a ladder that lead up to a manhole. George climbed it and lifted the lid, then looked around. Various zombies stood far from them, and he realized that they were only a few yards from the hospital. It was certainly better than roaming the sewers, he thought. Who knows what we'd find in there.

George helped Cindy climb out of the stinking sewer when the zombies suddenly realized their presence. Quickly they ran to the hospital doors but found them locked. George began to panic, and began banging on the door and shoulder tackling them, only to find his efforts futile, until a man dressed in a white lab coat appeared behind the doors.

"Please!" George pleaded. "You must open the doors. They're almost here!"

The man stood there shaking in fright. He stepped away from the doors, not wishing to risk the possibility of letting anymore zombies in. George punched the door and screamed as Cindy grew more and more panicked, the mob of zombies getting closer.

George was beginning to reach for his revolver when suddenly another doctor in a lab coat approached, and he held in his hand a key, which he used to unlock the doors. He quickly let them in and struggled to refasten the lock before the zombies could get in.

"Thank you so much," George said.

"Thank you!" Cindy said appreciatively.

The second doctor turned towards the first doctor, an angry expression on his face.

"What in God's name is wrong with you, Hursh?" he said.

"I, I didn't want to risk," Hursh said, shaking. "Isaac please, those things were coming, I couldn't risk them getting in here!"

"You're a doctor for God sakes," he said. "You're supposed to HELP people not leave them to die!"

"There's nothing in the Hippocratic Oath that says I have to let people into our own shelter from those, those things! I'm not going to die!"

Isaac sighed and turned towards George and Cindy.

"My name is Isaac, and this Hursh," he said, motioning towards the frightened doctor. "I'm so sorry about my friend, you have to understand these are VERY stressful times."

"Why haven't I seen you here?" George asked, curiously.

"We're new here," Isaac said. "Are you George Hamilton?"

"Yes," George said.

"I've heard of your reputation. Almost flawless with a scalpel, saved lots of people. You're an example to us all."

"I," George said. "I haven't saved, all of them." He thought about his last patient, who died on his bed.

"We aren't God," Isaac said. "We can only do so much. You should have some pride in the lives you HAVE saved, I'm sure the people you helped appreciate it immensely."

Isaac paced around a bit. The room was a waiting area of sorts.

"We have a dilemma," he said. "There's no power in the building, somebody must have shut it off, so we're stuck here in this room. And those things will eventually break into here. Dr. Hamilton, you know this place well. Do you know how we can get to the auxiliary power room?"

"Yes," he said. "The stairs, we climb then until the third floor."

"Good," he said. "Let's go. If we can get the secondary power on, maybe we can use a phone, or find some way to send a distress beacon of some sort to let somebody know we're alive. Or maybe we can even get to the parking garage, get an ambulance and have some transportation out of here."

"I think that could work," George said.

"Are there any other people in the building?" Cindy asked.

"I haven't seen any other than those things," he said. "But there's a chance we might have missed some patients. Although if we did, I fear the worst for them already."

"Still we must look," George said. "It's our duty not as doctors, but human beings."

"You're right," Isaac said.

"I have a firearm," George said, reaching into his coat pocket.

"Excellent," Isaac said. "I'm going to trust you with that."

Isaac turned to Hursh.

"Come one," he said almost reluctantly. "Don't stay behind, or we will leave you."

Hursh got to his feet when Cindy noticed his hand.

"You're bleeding," she said in a concerned, motherly tone.

"Oh," Hursh said, looking at his poorly wrapped hand. "One of them bit me."

"Here," Cindy said, pulling out medical tape and fixing his bindings. "That's better."

"Th-thank you," Hursh said.

The group climbed the stairs, with George leading the way, until they reached the third floor. They walked along the long, dark hallways, their footsteps bouncing about everywhere in echoes.

"Is it near?" Hursh asked.

"We're almost there," George said.

But before he could reassure himself, the doors along the hallway began to burst open, and from each one emerged one of the undead creatures, dressed either in patient clothing, half naked, or in lab coats and nursing uniforms. Their moans chilled the group to the bone and their moans and groans cluttered the hallway creating a dissonant and altogether terrible sound.

"We have to go!" George said, running down the hallway, followed by the group. They turned a corner when Cindy tripped, a zombie emerging from a double door beside her. Isaac scampered back and helped Cindy to her feet as George fired the gun into the zombie's head, Hursh speeding ahead of the group. They gathered themselves when suddenly a pair of hands broke through a nearby window and grabbed Isaac, pulling him towards the window.

Hursh reached the end of the hall and pressed a button on the wall, which began to lower an iron gate in front of him. George and Cindy, not knowing about Isaac's plight, quickly ducked under it. They looked back to see him free himself of the creature's grasp and run towards them. George tried to grab the gate in order to stop its descent, but found its weight and mechanical pull too much to handle. Isaac looked at the three, his chest heaving in and out.

"No!" Cindy said. "What should we do!"

"Isaac," George said.

"You have to get to that power room," he said. "Please, just get out of here alive!"

"Hursh," George said. "Raise the gate! Hurry!"

"No!" Hursh said, shaking in fright. "Those things will get in!"

"You bastard!" George said, raising his gun to Hursh. "Open it, NOW, or I will fire this!"

"Just forget me!" Isaac said. "Please, just-AAAAAH!"

Several of the zombies were already on him, biting and clawing at his back, neck, and arm. He shoved a few off but found himself overwhelmed, the mob flooding the congested hallway like a flood. Isaac screamed in pain as he was pinned against the wall and blood poured through the metal bars that trapped him.

"Dr. Hamiltion," he said weakly as blood poured from his mouth. "Please, kill me…"

George looked down at the revolver in his hand, sweat pouring profusely from his forehead.

"Please Dr. Hamilton," he begged. "Please."

"No!" Cindy said.

George slowly raised the revolver and aimed it between Isaac's eyes.

"Don't look, Cindy."

Cindy turned away.

"Thank you," Isaac said weakly.

George shut his eyes.

BLAM

George felt the power of the blast stun him and his ears began to ring. He looked at Isaac's now unmoving body as the zombies consumed his flesh, dragging him back onto the floor and hiding his body from sight. Cindy fell to her knees and wept as George wiped the blood from his face. He looked at the blood on his hands, and felt the guilt return. I did what I had to, he told himself. There just, wasn't enough time. But I'm supposed to save people, not destroy them. But…maybe in a way, I did save him.

George looked at Hursh bitterly, who winced nervously. He noticed that his taped hand had come slightly unwrapped during the excitement, and small drops of blood spilled to the floor. George knelt down to comfort Cindy, then helped her get to her feet.

The three then proceeded down the hallway until they reached the power room. They entered and George inspected a large computer with various blinking lights.

"Here," Hursh said. "I know how it works."

He punched a few keys and soon the lights flickered on and off.

"It's working," he said. "The elevator should be functional now."

"We must hurry," George said.

Together he and Cindy made their way towards the door, when suddenly a vent from overhead came crashing down directly in front of Hursh. Within an instant a large creature fell from the ceiling and pounced on Hursh, pinning him to the ground. It had the figure of a man, but its entire body was covered in an organic life form that resembles black leeches. The monster chomped and gnarled on Hursh's hand until it ripped a large chunk of it off his wrist. George fired the remaining rounds in his revolver, only to find his efforts were futile. The leeches protecting the thing, whatever it was, and soon it stood up and began walking towards them, almost like a zombie but with a less functional body that waved to and fro with every step.

"Dear God!" George said. "Run Cindy!"

George tossed the revolver aside and the two of them sped towards the door, when suddenly the monster extended its arm and sent a long volley of leeches towards George, cutting his shoulder.

George shut the door and motioned towards the elevator, which Cindy ran to and opened. The two ducked in as the leech man broke the door down, then sent a leech flying into the elevator with them. George and Cindy stomped on it fiercely as the elevator began to move, until they were sure the thing was dead. Cindy clasped her hands together and began to pray, tears dripping from her tightly shut eyes.

"George," she said between sobs. "Why is this happening to us?"

"I don't know," he responded.

"Is this the end of the world?" she said. "Is this the day or reckoning? God is angry, he has sent hell to Earth to punish us for our sins. What else could explain this! It's over, it's all over!"

"No Cindy, that's not important right now," George said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "We don't know what has caused this, it could be a widely spread disease, a plague. It could be God. The whole thing could be some sort of twisted nightmare. But you have to remember, NEVER to give up, Cindy. NEVER. I won't let you. We can survive this, on our own if we must. But never give up hope, Cindy. As human beings, we are left only with our wits, and our faith that we will survive."

"How can you say that?" she said, crying. "What hope is there for us? We're alone with that thing. You saw! You shot it, it didn't die!"

"Cindy, we are like rats in a maze," George said. "Our destination that succulent hunk of cheese we know as freedom, only we cannot see it directly in sight. An immense feline pursues us, but we must be persistent, because the faith that the cheese is still there is our only drive, our only reason for staying alive. And I promise you Cindy, your faith is not blind. We may trek through darkness now, not knowing which way to go, but there is a light at the end of this path, and we will find it."

George held Cindy tightly. He couldn't believe the words that had passed between his lips. He didn't believe in God or faith, it was too illogical and foolish for a man such as him. He convinced himself he said it only for Cindy's sake, and for a short time he was content with that. But soon he began to doubt himself, and began to feel he hadn't said it only for Cindy.

The elevator stopped with a "ding" and slowly opened. George and Cindy stepped out, and George recognized the hallway.

"This leads to my office," he said. "I have a phone in there, perhaps that will be of help."

The two cautiously trekked the hallways until they saw a body lying against the wall, the corpse of a security guard. George inspected his body carefully, then took the gun that lay in his hand. The man had shot himself, a bullet hole emblazoned in his temple. Cindy tried not to look as George inspected his body and found a set of keys in one of his pockets. He pocketed them, then stepped away from the body. He should be used to dealing with bodies by now, he'd been to enough autopsies and visits to the morgue to warrant him some experience. But this entire experienced seemed to mock the concept of death itself. All at once George began to imagine the corpses of the patients who died on his operating table, rising from their coffins with hands outstretched and voices moaning in eternal agony. Death would give him no rest any longer; time was now a vague concept that one had some shred of importance. He felt so powerless.

Cindy awoke him from his dreamy state with a touch from her soft, thin hand. He grabbed it with his and led her down the hallway.

He passed through the door that led to his secretary's desk (he wondered for a moment if she was still alive) then stepped into his office. He placed his firearm on the desk and reached for the phone only to find, to his horror, no dial tone pulsing on the other end.

"Dammit," he said, slamming the phone back into its position.

"What do we do now?" Cindy asked.

"What about these keys?" he said, pulling out the ring of keys from this pocket. "They must be of some use. Isaac mentioned something about the parking garage that holds the ambulances."

George then glanced over his messy desk, noticing a paper sitting on his "In" box that wasn't there when he left earlier that day. He grabbed it and began to skim over it.

"Peter Jenkins?" he said to himself. "What on Earth is this? T-Virus…when did I receive this? Peter Jenkins, the name sounds so familiar…"

Before George could finish reading, a sound from behind him startled him. He slowly turned around to see a zombie slowly step into the room, its face covered in shadows. George was about to reach for his gun when he saw what the creature held in its right hand, very tightly as if in a death grip.

It was the divorce papers he had received a few days ago. The ones he didn't have the courage to finish filling out. He then began to recognize the zombie's body, and his entire body froze in fear. As the zombie showed itself in the light, he recognized the face of his wife Collete, her cold, judging stare paralyzing every inch of his body. He began to realize what had happened.

"Oh no, no Collete, no," he said. "I'm so sorry, I'm so very, very sorry."

George dropped to his knees as if begging forgiveness. The thing that once used to be his wife looked down at him, its scratched and torn face looking like a vengeful demon, its hand still clinging tightly to the papers.

"It's all my fault," he said, tears beginning to well up inside his squinting eyes. "All my fault."

The creature let out a low hiss, then opened its mouth and grabbed George from his hair, leaning over to dig into his neck.

BLAM

George opened his eyes, and saw the body of what used to be his wife collapse backward, still clutching those damned papers. George looked behind him, across the desk, and saw Cindy holding the gun in her hand, her chest heaving violently and her face in a state of shock, smoke fuming from the gun's barrel. She then dropped the gun and shook viciously, then moved her way over to George. George looked over at Collette's body and felt the guilt that dwelt inside him surge itself into an almost explosive state. His mind seemed to drift away from his grasp, and as if in sickness it began to purge memories from a time long past. Cindy held George in her arms as he passed out, submitting to the darkness.

All his life George was alone. He hid behind books, indulging himself with knowledge, facts, philosophy, science, astronomy, anything and everything he could come across. He was well respected for his educational endeavors and found acclaim in the field of medicine, all by his own resources and strength of character. But none of this seemed to matter; it was a farce, a curtain that hid the wizard behind the illusion. George was alone all his life, and no level of respect, admiration, or knowledge could ever feel the gaping hole in his heart.

He had convinced himself that love itself was a farce, a pathetic excuse for humanity to create yet another illusion that its existence meant something to somebody. The truth was, George believed, it was more sexual than it was a cosmic or even destiny inspired concept. Shakespeare was wrong, love wasn't about destiny or fate, love was a lie, and one that was not worth the effort.

He met Collette soon after becoming an established surgeon, and at first he thought he enjoyed her company. But he married her more out of necessity rather than love. It seemed everywhere he looked, everybody he knew had found someone to join them in the perilous journey that is life. Nobody was alone, except for the aging George Hamilton. George was already into his thirties, and everybody he knew personally had found someone to share their lives with. George feared, more than anything, that he would wither into the abyss of the afterlife without having been significant to any other person, ever. Both his parents were dead, and he had no family nearby. He just focused on his work in an attempt to keep from seeing his true aloneness. At one point, he may even have loved Collette, but the demands of being a top physician kept him at his desk, day and night, blind to the disintegration of his own marriage right under his nose. The clocks that covered the walls of his office were a reminder that he was short on time, and he strove to try and fix his own life, but George never was great with focusing on one problem at a time. He failed many times to meet with Collette for marriage counseling, and gradually he simply assumed the problem would go away.

During his many long drawn shifts at the hospital, George was asked to escort some young, prospective nurses and doctors throughout the hospital, showing them its facilities, equipment, and operating rooms. George felt it was a vital part of the profession, and willingly met the group of young upstarts. They were all young and appeared more or less bored with the entire experience, none looking particularly as prospective as he had been told, except for one individual that immediately caught George's eye at the very sight of her. Her name was Cindy Lennox.

In the same way that Plato must have admired the brilliant (at his time) Socrates, Cindy hung on every word, her precious eyes wide open and attentive, asking questions and following with great enthusiasm. George had no doubt that she had spirit, and he could tell that the idea of helping people was much more than an "idea" for her, it was to be a way of life. Throughout the tour he stayed close to her, and until its end she never strayed but a few feet from him. George asked her to sit with him for a cup of coffee once the tour ended, and found himself wildly fascinated by her light, her spirit, her innocence at the entire prospect of becoming a nurse. And she was fascinated by the vast knowledge that George expelled at every moment. George wasn't used to having somebody to listen to his ramblings on the philosophy of life and death, even if Cindy didn't always understand what he was saying. Collette certainly never appreciated this aspect of his personality. She simply asked him to remain quiet, or took control of the conversation as George simply sat silently and tried to absorb her words. He felt an exhilarating sense of pride just talking to Cindy, and her polite manner made him enjoy her company more. He felt saddened upon hearing it was time for her to leave, but arranged several more lunches with her.

Cindy became an apprentice of sorts to George, who often went out of his way to show her the proper methods to bind a patient's wounds. When she had advanced enough into her education he began considering making her a permanent member of his operating staff, and continued to train her as best he could.

One day he spoke with her in the equipment room, telling her a joke he recalled from college. She laughed and smiled, and George became excited. He had never felt so happy in his life. But he didn't expect Cindy to do what she did. She kissed his lips tenderly, wrapping her arms around his neck, her soft, thin hand against his cheek, her warm body pressed against his chest. Although surprised, George reveled in the moment for what felt like hours, and accepted openly accepted her, wrapping both arms around her waist and closing his tired eyes. George had always believed the philosophy presented in Dante's Inferno, that both heaven, and hell, were not a place, but other people. George had finally found heaven.

But George wasn't used to giving into his passions. He was a logical man, after all, and he was very soon awakened to what was happening. He was a married man. He pushed himself away from Cindy and looked at his hand. His ring was gone, but the impression it left was emblazoned around his finger like a scarlet letter, a reminder of his immoral sin. Guilt welled up in George's stomach as he felt the sting of betrayal. Cindy took a few steps back, realizing what they had done.

"I'm so sorry, George," she said. "Oh my God, I'm sorry."

Cindy knew that he was married, but for that single instance that knowledge had faded away, for both of them. The truth came spiraling back, George's breaking of their embrace awakening them both to their wrongful deed. George may not have felt as morose and depressed if the situation had arose out of mere lust, because he felt even that would be justifiable to a degree. We are only human, and our instinctive desires are so strong they often outweigh our logic. But he didn't feel lust for Cindy. He felt something more than that, and he hated himself for doing so.

"I can't see you anymore, Cindy," George said, trying to avoid looking at her.

"But, George, I'm sorry," she apologized. "I wasn't thinking. I swear it won't happen again."

"No Cindy," George said sadly, leaning over a small table. "We have to stop this before it goes any further, and the only way to do that, is for us to never see each other again."

Tears welled up in Cindy's eyes. George may as well have condemned her to death.

"I'm going to have you moved to another ward, to assist another doctor," George said. "I can't see you anymore. I'm sorry."

"George, please," Cindy said weakly between sobs. "Please don't throw me away like this!"

"If you don't leave now Cindy," George said angrily, in an attempt to frighten her. "I'm going to suggest your termination from this hospital. Leave."

Cindy wept openly and burst from the room. George felt angry, at Cindy, for giving in to her desire, for meeting him in the first place, and at himself, for accepting the tour duty, and for enjoying Cindy's company. Not once did he feel anger for Collette. It was unfair to her, he thought. I have betrayed her trust. I have a duty, a responsibility to her. He knew that logically and ethically he had made the right choice, but it didn't make him feel better.

Throughout the next week, he spotted Cindy walking the halls, and avoided eye contact with her. If he saw her approaching, he would duck into another room or turn away. Each time he did so it was like needles being thrust into her heart. She began to think he hated her, and within a few days he didn't see her anymore. He asked others about her, and one nurse informed him that she officially resigned from the hospital a few days earlier. She couldn't handle the pain she felt every time he avoided her, and the fact they had shared a mortal sin created a dark pit of guilt in her heart, and so she relieved George of his pain by leaving her dreams to become a nurse. From then on she stayed with her secondary job at J's bar. She generally worked during the evenings, at which time George made it a point to stay away from the bar, out of both courtesy to her and out of his own decision to try and keep his promise to Collette. But when he did go, making sure she was not there, he drank heavily in silence, the demons in his mind whispering reminders of his evil deed. But more than anything, he desperately wanted to see Cindy again, if even for a second. His entering the bar when he knew she wasn't there was a form of self punishment that he executed like a tradition or a ritual every night for a month.

When he received the divorce papers, the truth awakened in him a sorrow he had never felt. He had failed Collette, he had not kept his promise, and he had lost Cindy. He realized that he was, once again, entirely alone, and the darkness of loneliness overtook him. But he refused to sign the papers. He had no choice but to try and make it work, and so he held out on finishing the form until he could have a chance to talk with Collette again, who had recently separated from him and moved in with her mother. When George saw the form in her dead hands, he understood what had happened. She had come by to find him, to pick up the papers, and one of those things killed her. Why she still clung to the papers so tightly, even after her spirit had long ago left the cell of her body, frightened George more than any creature he had confronted this night. Not even in death was Collette freed from him. And he began to feel the swelling of self loathing, of guilt again, when he rationalized that if he had signed those papers and sent them off, if he had been a real man and had the courage and guts to accept that he was a failure, she would not have come to get them, and maybe, she might still be alive. More than ever before, George hated himself.

George awoke, his head lying in Cindy's arms as she caressed his hair and forehead, in the same manner he had done for her.

"You're awake now," she said. "You fainted."

George looked around the room, his vision blurry.

"Cindy," he said. "I-I'm sorry."

"Just rest a little longer," she said as tears began to seep from her eyes.

"What's wrong?" he said.

"Nothing." She said. "I'm just, happy you're awake. I didn't know if you were going to wake up."

George rested his eyes a bit and let himself give in to Cindy's soothing caresses. He no longer thought of Collette, whose body was only a few feet away. He began to think of Cindy.


	14. Chapter 14

14. T-Virus

It took more strength, physically and mentally, for George to lift himself from the floor of his office, than all the running and fighting for his life he had done earlier that night. But that strength did not come of his own accord. Every step that he took to walk out of that office was with the aid of Cindy, who he knew was still shaking nervously. Before that night she never once touched a gun, much less fired one, and although she was more scared and frightened at the thought of having killed something, despite knowing full well Collette was already dead, she couldn't live with the idea of George's death coming without her lifting a finger to do something about it. Together they helped each other walk out of that office, holding each other close to ensure neither one of them saw the bleeding, mauled corpse of Collette.

After walking some distance, they rested in a lobby area, where George recomposed himself and remembered the strange letter he found in his inbox. He pulled it out from his inside jacket pocket and unfolded it, revealing an alarming number of pages that appeared to have been scribbled, very frantically, in plain handwriting that was difficult for George to read; the sender appeared to be in a great deal of stress at the time.

The letter was from Peter Jenkins, a colleague of his back in his days at the Raccoon University. Although he was never close to Peter, in fact he didn't take very well to him at all: he had only taken a few classes with him, wherein the two formed study groups. That was where he met Greg, a friend of Peter's, and the two had various heated debates over the ethics of science and the philosophy of life and death, discussions that, although intellectually fruitful and brilliant, were very intense and nearly led to physical violence between the two. George believe Greg was a madman; his ethical stance on a scientist's responsibility to others was atrocious. He saw no reason to strive for anything less than perfection, no matter what the cost, for he took the typically utilitarian view that in the end, mankind will benefit, and those who are destroyed are mere bugs on the windshield of progression, progression being a train that is ever speeding into the future. George tried his best to argue the opposing, but Peter's consistent support for Greg's stance gave him little reason to bother any further than that. Peter admired Greg immensely, and one could barely find Greg without Peter at his side, but George suspected Greg was only using Peter for his own devices rather than through actual friendship.

Greg also believed himself to be an artist, and saw the sciences and the arts as one in the same. George often referred to him as "Victor" in reference to Shelley's protagonist in the novel "Frankenstein." Greg was brilliant, George did not doubt that, perhaps more so than the fictional character he compared him to, and Greg had the kind of spirit any artist or scientist alike would envy; but that same drive, perhaps even obsession, resulted in Greg's suspension from the school after conducting unwarranted experiments using the school's facilities.

The letter, from what George could gather, explained a new kind of virus that was being developed by an organization named Umbrella. George found the name familiar, as the corporation had always had themselves involved, in some way or another, with much of the town's affairs. The virus was named the T-Virus, and its notable effects were the regeneration of dead cells. The letter explained various benefits of the virus, which George found fascinating, and explained that the virus had been administered under a controlled test area to determine its various effects on both people and a variety of animals. The letter further explained that a majority of humans reacted negatively to the virus, and would, over time, end their lives, then reanimate the dead cells and bring the body back to life in a much more basic, almost animal like state and increased the innate aggressiveness that lies within all humans, turning them into walking cadavers whose only drive is that of hunger.

The letter also explained the possibilities of a cure, which Peter had researched himself. He became aware of Umbrella's activities, and obtained a sample of the virus in secret. He spent weeks locked in a secret area of the University that only a scarce few knew about, researching to find a cure. The letter pleaded that George find him at the University before it was too late; he feared that reports of murders near town and the mansion incident, which he believed to be the "controlled" experiment Umbrella had conducted, were signs of an inevitable outbreak, and he had in the last few days found a way to cure the disease.

The letter also gave details on the possibility of testing people for the virus. It claimed that obtaining a sample of an individual's blood could confirm the presence of infection, and such a method could at least allow the element of surprise. It also mentioned briefly how to compare an uninfected sample with one of the virus.

"We can cure it," George said, speaking from the midst of his train of thought.

"What?" Cindy asked, confused.

"The T-virus. And we can test it too. You haven't been bitten by one of those things, have you?"

"No," Cindy said.

"Come on," George said, grabbing Cindy's hand. "I know where we can find the tools we need to conduct a test. It may prove useful."

The two trekked through the dark hospital cautiously until they reached the Equipment Room. George hesitated to enter at first, not out of fear for the creatures that lurked in the darkness, but out of the sheer pangs of remembrance for that day he and Cindy shared their sin. Cindy was hesitant as well, but neither of them said anything, and eventually they passed through the door. George collected various instruments and arranged them on a table. He then grabbed a needle and pricked himself, then let a single drop of blood fall into a beaker, where he mixed it in with a chemical made specifically to color or paint the presence of the T-Virus and distinguish its presence within a normal cell.

"Now," George said. "Let us take a sample of yours, Cindy."

Cindy nervously put her finger out, covering her eyes, her hand shaking violently.

"Please Cindy," George pleaded. "Hold still, or I might hurt you."

"I'm, I'm so sorry George," Cindy said, but couldn't resist from shaking.

George then pulled Cindy to him and kissed her cheek. Cindy opened her eyes wide, overcome with surprise and stared at George as if in a trance, during which George pricked the tip of her finger, although she gave little to no reaction to the pain.

George squeezed a drop of blood into another beaker, then mixed it. He then observed his sample under a microscope, and confirmed his fears.

"I am infected," he said. "But I don't understand. How?"

"Were you bitten?" Cindy asked.

"No," George said. "But, if I do recall, a large rat bit my finger not very long ago. Curious."

George then observed Cindy's sample under the microscope. The look of terror on his face raised the hairs on the back of Cindy's slender neck. George looked at her as if she were one of those zombies.

"No," George said. "It can't be."

"What is it?" Cindy asked.

"You're infected, too," George said, slumping into a stool. "How can this be? You weren't,"

George then looked down at Cindy's leg, which was bandaged.

"You were bitten?"

"A rat," Cindy said.

"I see. The rats, they were the vehicles that spread this disease. It just as Mark said, like the Black Plague."

"George," she said. "How much time do we have?"

"I don't know," George said. "Peter said in his letter, that the time in which one submits to the infection is determined by a number of factors, and even then the chance is always random and indeterminate. Either one of us could turn at any time."

Cindy became frightened for a moment, but then stepped towards George.

"I trust you, George," she said. "You wouldn't hurt anybody."

"Cindy," George said in a very serious tone, as if delivering his own funeral speech. "If, or when, I cease to be myself, I expect you to do the right thing, and destroy me. You will only be freeing my body of a harsh and cruel torment, my spirit will have long passed away. You will be killing my body, not my soul. You must promise me, Cindy."

Cindy's eyes began to tear up. "I can't, George," she said. "I just,"

"Please, Cindy."

Cindy thought in silence. "Okay George," she said. "I will, but only if you promise the same for me."

George felt her shifting the responsibility to him just as uncomfortable as she not doubt felt upon accepting his request.

"Fair enough," George said.

"But I promise George," she said, grabbing his hand. "I won't let you go, not ever. I still trust you, and I will until the end."

George squeezed her hand and smiled, but said nothing.

George gathered the instruments he need and packed them in a duffel bag he found in the back of the room.

"I still have those keys," he said. "One should be to the parking garage, and another should, I hope, allow us to access the room that holds the keys to the vehicles. We will make our way there, before,"

Suddenly a door in the back of the room burst open, and in strode the leech man, very sturdily and slowly. At first it didn't appear to notice them, and George and Cindy cautiously stepped away from it, until Cindy tripped over some instrument strewn on the floor and scraped her arm against the table, causing it to bleed. The monster suddenly stopped and raised its head as if smelling the air, then let out a shriek. It took incredible strides toward the two and stretched out its arms. George threw a stool at it, stunning it a bit, then helped Cindy get to her feet. He noticed the cut on her elbow, then looked at the monster, whose attention was suddenly turned to the blood samples he had left on the table.

"It wants blood," George said. He then ran to a cabinet, pulling Cindy with him, and pulled out a blood pack. The monster leaped onto one of the tables and let out a shriek, when George ripped the pack open and let its contents onto the tabletop. The monster then hungrily slurped and sucked at the exposed plasma, its attention completely consumed by the crimson liquid. George stuffed a few more packs into his bag and took Cindy out, trying to help her cover up her injury. The two then ran to the elevator and closed the door, then let out a sigh of relief.

"Of course," he said. "It's covered in leeches, it's attracted to our blood. That is why it attacked Hursh. But it appears we're safe for now."

No sooner did George utter those words than did a panel above their heads burst open, a shower of leeches filling the elevator. Cindy screamed as George looked up to find the monster there again.

"But how!" George said. "It couldn't have caught up to us!"

Cindy stomped on the leeches as George fired his gun at the monster that stood on top of the elevator, each blast only sending more of its spawns into the cramped elevator. Several leeches began to cling to Cindy's legs as she tried desperately to kick them off. The monster began to bash each panel until it had enough room to climb in, when George hit the emergency stop button, sending the monster crashing down into the elevator with great force. George then opened the elevator doors as the monster tried to regain itself, then slipped him self and Cindy through the narrow opening from the elevator to the parking garage floor. Once there George dropped a blood pack on the floor, and in an instant the leeches relieved their spots on Cindy and slithered towards the pool of blood.

George and Cindy then ran through the garage until George spotted a door. He sifted through the ring's keys, testing each one, until he found the right one and opened the door. Inside was a small, compact room that contained more keys to the ambulances. George grabbed one, then sped off down the parking area when the leech creature suddenly emerged from around a corner directly in front of them. George pulled out a blood pack and held it in front of the monster, who became visibly excited. George then handed Cindy the key to the ambulance.

"Hurry," he said. "Go start the ambulance, I'll keep it distracted."

Cindy complied and ran off toward the ambulances sitting in the back of the garage. George then held the pack in front of him as he stepped backward, leading the creature away from Cindy. He then flung the pack to the side and ran, letting the monster follow it, when a second leech man suddenly dropped from a vent overhead.

"Two of you!" he said, looking at the monster, whose face was partly revealed. "Hursh!" he said, recognizing the lifeless and vacant face. Finding himself without any means of defense, George turned to run when the monster sent its long, extendable arm of leeches into his back, knocking him to the ground. George tried to crawl away from it, only to find it standing over him. He closed its eyes as it stretched its arms out to pounce on him.

"George! MOVE!"

George spotted Cindy, driving an ambulance full speed towards them. George rolled aside as the monster shrieked at its hulking metallic assailant, only moments later to be smashed between the front of the vehicle and the concrete wall of the garage, sending glass and shrapnel everywhere.

George got to his feet and noticed fire emanating from the engine of the ambulance to see Cindy's unconscious body slumped against the steering wheel, her head bleeding but resting against an air bag. George opened the door and pulled her out, along with the duffel bag and the key, and helped her move away from the ambulance. The leech man let out a final shriek as the ambulance exploded in a burst of flames.

George helped Cindy into another ambulance, tying her in and turning it on. He drove it down the garage until he reached the metal gate that blocked the garage exit. He stopped the ambulance and ran down to the security station and flicked the switch, allowing the gate to slowly rise. Upon his return to the ambulance, he saw the second leech man stride quickly towards him. George then ran quickly to the ambulance and started it, begging the gate to open faster as the monster approached. Soon the door to the back of the van came ripped open and the monster put one grotesque foot in.

"Never!" George said, stepping on the gas. The ambulance quickly jerked forward, causing the leech man to lose his footing and cling to the other door at the back of the ambulance, the top of it scraping hard against the metal gate. George then drove up the long hill to the surface, glancing back at the monster, who was slowly pulling itself in to the ambulance. Using its extendable arms, it clasped onto a surface in the ambulance and pulled itself in as George approached the outer large, back parking yard, which was filled entirely with a sea of zombies. The leech man slowly approached, smelling the blood that seeped from Cindy's forehead. George began to panic as he looked back at the monster and then forward at the sea of undead, then quickly hit the brakes, sending the leech man spiraling forward and crashing through the windshield. Its hulking body rolled over the hood of the ambulance and it collapsed directly in front of the sea of zombies. Each of them turned towards it, and as if out of fright the monster struggled to get to its feet. Soon the horde was on it, biting and scraping, the monster trying desperately to ward off their attacks, until they consumed it, pulling it to the ground as it let out a horrific shriek that echoed through the night air and blood seeping from the mass of bodies that covered it. George could barely believe his own eyes, when he noticed another mob approaching him. He then backed the ambulance up and drove off to his right, plowing through the zombies as a ship plows the sea, the disheartening and sickening thuds of their bodies being crushed, mangled, and mutilated by the wheels and front of the ambulance. George tried to remind himself that they weren't human, and proceeded to plow through the mass of human bodies until he reached the chain linked exit gate, which he burst through with relative ease.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw long streaks of blood and gore where his path through the sea of people was, the mob of zombies still sluggishly pursuing him but none of which was able to cling to the vehicle. He let out a sigh of relief and looked over to Cindy, who was beginning to wake up.

"What," she said, awakening from a daze. "George, are you okay?"

"Don't push yourself," George said. "You may have a concussion. It was foolish of you to do something so reckless, Cindy. You put yourself, and even my own life at risk. You could have killed us both in that insane collision. You know that don't you?"

Cindy sat looking at him sadly, unable to understand George's anger. George shut his eyes and realized his foolishness.

"I'm sorry Cindy," he said. "I, just don't want you to risk yourself for me like that ever again. You could have killed yourself, but you saved my life."

George put his hand out and wrapped it around hers.

"Thank you, Cindy. I am forever in your debt."

Cindy looked down at their interlocked hands and back at George, the blood now running along her cheek.


	15. Chapter 15

15. It'll Be the Story of the Century

Kevin and Alyssa sat in the back of the police van as Mark sat near the front, with Dorian and a still shaken Harry in the front seats. Kevin glanced out the window and noticed a fire blazing in the distance. He turned his attention back towards Alyssa, who was sitting in silence and staring into nothingness, deep in thought. Kevin sat back lazily and smirked.

"Any chance you can spare a thought?" he said. "You look like you got something important in that pretty little head of yours."

Kevin more than expected a stark response from Alyssa, but strangely she didn't respond in a way he had anticipated. Instead she looked at him, sneering at first, but then speaking.

"I've been thinking," she said. "The strange incidents at the mansion, the killings on the outskirts of town…they must be connected in some way to what's happening."

"Oh?" Kevin said curiously.

"Do you know the Umbrella Corporation?"

"It hardly rains here so I don't have much use for that stuff," Kevin said with a smile, putting his hands behind his head and stretching his leg out.

"Be serious for one second," she said, growing irritable. "I've heard nasty things about them, and the possibility they participate in illegal biological experimentation. I can't help but think they have something to do with this, what's happening now."

"That's one thing that always freaks me out about you women," Kevin said. "You got mental powers or something, ESP or whatever it is. I just think you're all really aliens from another planet, cuz that just isn't normal!"

"I guess there's no use talking to YOU about it," she said, crossing her arms.

Kevin sat himself up.

"How long you been shootin'?" he asked.

"Since I was 14."

"No shit!"

"No shit."

"It's no wonder you're a good shot."

"Hafta watch out for all those sickos and freaks. Being a lady in today's male chauvinistic society isn't easy."

"Hey, not all of us are bad guys, okay? You girls just get the wrong impression of us that's all."

"Please," Alyssa said rolling her eyes. "You're all basically the same. If you aren't farting or fucking, you're pissed off cuz you aren't happy with the size of your manhood, and then you feel like you have to take it out on the rest of the world just because your "little man" either runs out of steam before he can reach home or not "tall" enough to ride the roller coaster!"

"Hey I'll have you know I'm perfectly content with my lil' guy, and I've got enough experience under my belt to rock YOUR world!"

"In your dreams, buster."

"If you only knew!" Kevin winked at Alyssa.

"Hmph."

"So tell me somethin' about yourself," Kevin said. "I already know you're a great shot and got great abs. Gimme somethin' about the real Alyssa Ashcroft."

"Why should I tell you, of all people, anything? I barely know you, and as far as I'm concerned it won't change anytime soon."  
"Okay, I'll tell ya' what," Kevin said, leaning forward as if about to conduct a negotiation. "You know that I recently just saved your life, and I know you can't stand the idea of owing anything to me. So in exchange for that, you tell me something about yourself, like, say your parents, how you grew up. Then we'll consider ourselves even. Deal?"

Kevin put one hand out for a hand shake to seal the deal. Alyssa looked as if a bad smell filled her nostrils, then reluctantly grabbed Kevin's hand tightly.

"Damn!" he said, pulling his hand back. "You got an iron grip girl! How much you bench press, a solar system?"

"You want to hear this or not?"

"Okay okay sorry," Kevin said, putting his elbows on his knees and propping his chin up with his hands in an almost mock stature that expressed a deeply focused interest in her. "Give it to me, babe."

Alyssa bit her lower lip for a few seconds, trying to decide where to start. She didn't like the idea of telling her past to more or less a stranger. She didn't trust many people, especially not men, and she even considered lying to Kevin, making something up to get him off her back. She was a journalist after all, stretching the truth for a better headline was important. But something about Kevin's stupid, silly face that looked at her attentively made her almost want to laugh on the inside, he was such a doofus. She also remember how pained he was before, yet how easily he was able to recompose himself. Deep down she admired that about him, and to an extent wished she had that sort of power.

"I was an only child," Alyssa said. "My father raised me more or less by himself. My family…wasn't your typical American family, either. You know, the one where the dad brings the bread home and mom stays home to raise the kids. No my mom was a businesswoman, and I hardly ever saw her cept maybe a few times a week. My father stayed home and watched over me. He even quit his job at the paper, and he was good at what he did. Everyone respected and admired him there. But he gave that up…for me. I've never stopped thanking him for that. I grew attached to my dad, and as I grew older I became closer with him, and even farther away from my mother. For the most part I didn't even remember I had a mom, but that didn't bother me at all." Alyssa's posture changed. She propped her arm onto the seat and put her hand against her cheek, as if becoming immersed in her reminiscing. "Dad even taught me how to write, and I promised I would make him proud one day, and be a famous and respected journalist just like him. I'd make him proud. I know he was already proud, but still." Alyssa sighed. "Because my father left the paper at a crucial time," she said. "The editor held a grudge and refused to let him return. It didn't help that he was generally an ethical and moral person who often criticized the paper for blowing things out of proportion and making a mockery of their duty as reporters. Too much flare, too much pomp and circumstance, not enough truth and facts or even opinion, he used to say."

"But eventually, dad got sick," Alyssa said, her expression growing sadder. "Lack of exercise, a genetically endowed bad heart; my dad wasn't obese but he was out of shape, and I remember he always used to ask me to take care of myself, not for his but for her sake. I remember watching him slowly deteriorate before my eyes; he would pretend to be fine, but then he'd go off and hold his back, or his leg, or lie down and groan. He tried to be tough for me, so I wouldn't worry. He didn't want me, to worry…he was eventually hospitalized. I visited him every day and through the night, until the night he passed away in his sleep. I remember waking up, the next morning, my hand clutching his tightly, to find that his once big, strong and warm hands had lost their luster, grown pale, and let go of my tiny, tiny palms. I'd never hold them again."

"It took me weeks to get over it; it didn't help that my mother had already found his replacement." Alyssa said bitterly, the sadness in her voice now one of anger. "The man she brought home was insulting. He was a leech, a fucking parasite that did not work or earn shit, but he lived in our home like he was in a fucking palace. He drank, he cursed, and during his stupid drunken rages he would beat my mother like some whore. Anger welled up inside me; my mother wasn't the kind of woman who would take that from anybody, much less some sorry ass hick. I knew her well enough to know she was a strong, independent woman who didn't take crap…I don't understand why she never threw his ripped jean wearing ass out. She used to tell me that she loved him, that he was so different from her father, who she'd gotten "tired" of, like he was some goddamn toy, or some pair of jeans she decided not to patch up and just threw to the curb instead. I hated her for saying that, for doing that to my dad, and for letting herself submit to this idiot's every whim and taking his assaults."

"One day, I took matters into my own hands. I overheard the screams and pummeling outside my room; I had reached my boiling point, and my mind exploded in a frenzy of bitterness and long welling anger. I grabbed a large steel bat and stormed out of my room to find my mother crying on the floor as that son of a bitch stood over her. He turned around towards me, and with a swift upward swing I smashed the bat into his balls, flooring him instantly. I pummeled him with the bat until my mother, of ALL PEOPLE, tackled me to the ground and wrenched it from my hands. I was never more confused before in all my life than I was then. It sickened me. Sickened me so bad I moved out of the house a few days later, without so much as speaking to or even looking at my mother the entire time. Her weakness in the fact of this sorry excuse for a man left a bad taste in my mouth; and from then on I promised myself I would never, ever let a man treat my the way he had treated my mother; and the bastard would be left without his testacles if he even THOUGHT about trying to smack ME around. That was the last time I'd seen or heard from my mother…I was still a teenager then, moving out on my own into a world that wasn't kind to young women of that age."

Alyssa stopped her story. From that day forward Alyssa promised herself that she would never allow anybody to get too close to her. She had very few friends and much more enemies, using her bitterness and lack of conscience to push as many people away as she could. It frustrated her how easily Kevin fended off her assaults. She had never felt love for another man besides her father, and she refused to allow herself any possibility of feeling love for another person because of her mother's claim that the man who constantly pummeled her on a regular basis was actually her soul mate, her true love. Alyssa trusted nobody, and she had no problem with that at all.

But for some reason, everything she told Kevin was the truth. She did not stretch a single detail. She didn't realize it at the time, but she felt like she could trust Kevin, like he wasn't such a bad person after all.

When she finished her story, she noticed that Kevin's posture had changed. Rather than the mock curiosity he once exhibited, he now sat straight up and watched her, completely absorbed in her words. She wasn't used to people looking at her in the way he did, and it made her nervous, but at the same time she couldn't help but feel slightly comfortable. She soon stopped herself, reaffirming the promise she made to herself, and decided she was just having a migraine or something and wasn't thinking straight.

"There," she said, holding her head. "I told you everything you need to know. Now fuck off."

Kevin had grown accustomed by now to her stark tone and simply laughed.

"That's really something Alyssa," he said. "I've had my own issues with my folks too."

Alyssa rolled her eyes and thought, Great, now I hafta hear his lame ass life story. However, she restrained herself, and simply listened in silence with her arms crossed.

"I actually never knew my mom either," Kevin said. "She died while I was too young to remember her well enough, and it hit my pop hard. He was pretty tough on me, at least I think so, and he really seemed to look at me like I was supposed to be the savior of the family. He expected a lot from me; good grades, quarterback on the football team, respect from the teachers, and lots of friends that he approved of. I remember my first girl friend; I didn't even like her that much, I just wanted my dad's approval. I lost my virginity out of the deal, but I wasn't happy with her at all. She irritated the hell outta me, how can somebody be so superficial? But everybody in the town admired her and she was the most popular girl in school, so I figured what the hell. Mostly it was for my dad though, not really for me at all. I don't even think I liked playing ball too much, I couldn't stand the favoritism in the locker room, which I have to admit worked in my favor, but that only made it worse for me. But I stuck with it, cuz he seemed to enjoy goin' to the games and hearing his boy, Kevin Ryman, getting the touchdown and winning the ball game. I did it all for him, I wish he'd known that."

"And really," Kevin continued. "He never understood that I'm just not a books person. I can't even read a brochure without nodding off! How'm I supposed to deal with stuff like Shakespeare, thy this and thy that, who talks like that? He ragged on me about that the most, and used to tell me I was worthless and couldn't do anything right. I never got MVP in ball, so he ragged me about that. Even my girl friend might not have been good enough for him, said she was blonde and stupid, but she wasn't that bad. Nothing I could do ever seemed to matter or be good enough for my pop. If it wasn't me not getting' a touchdown soon enough or snapping too early or waiting too long to pass the ball, it was my shitty grades and my clothes. He acted like I was supposed to be the perfect kid, like I was able to do everything right without any of his help."

"It eventually go to the point I couldn't stand it anymore. He'd gone off on one of his worst tirades, trying his best to make me feel like shit, like I was worthless and couldn't do anything right. And I just blurted out something I wish I had never said. I told him he was just angry at himself, because he couldn't save mom, and he failed as a father to teach me anything worth remembering. It was his fault, not mine, that mom died, and he was trying to put the blame on my shoulders because he was too weak to admit the fact he was the one that failed us. I told him I'd carried the burden for long enough, and packed my bags and left. I still remember walkin' the train tracks; I was only about 17 at the time, with my bag slung over my shoulder and a tear in my eye as I waited the train to pass so I could hop on like some vagabond bum. I wanted to tell him that stuff for a long time, but I felt so guilty about it. I couldn't face him again, not ever, not after what I'd said. I know it hurt him deeply, because he didn't say a word as I packed and just left, he just sat there in his chair and stared at the floor. I haven't spoken to him since I ran away, and from then on I lived in a town not too far from here, thanks to help from my buddy Leon. Hope he's alright. Sometimes it's good to go from being the most well known guy in school to a complete nobody."

Kevin looked up from his position and noticed Alyssa had uncrossed her arms and had been listening attentively. He considered commenting about it, making a rib at her, but her unearthing the past had left him tired and his optimism seemed to have faded.

"I guess we do have some things in common, right?" he said.

"Yeah," Alyssa said. "I guess we do."

Alyssa looked away from him and rubbed the back of her neck with her hand. Neither of them wanted to look at each other. Alyssa felt strange having shared a part of herself with Kevin, and perhaps more so for actually listening to his lame tear jerker of a story. She felt uncomfortable having shared anything at all, and she grew visibly nervous. Kevin noticed this, but tried to remain silent, instead toying with his .45 in his hand.

Meanwhile, Mark sat at the front of the van and talked with the police officers.

"He's a kid about 17, wore a hooded sweater," he said. "Got a blue an' black watch on, white an' red sneakers on his feet. He also got a scar on 'is right forearm from when a dog bit 'im as a kid. Ah still remember 'is eyes, the fear, the hurt, the pain, poor lil' soul, when that vicious creature took a nasty chomp outta 'im. Ah felt so unfulfilled, so guilty as a parent, ah wasn't doin' my job as protector. He grew up tough on his own though, ah'm glad fer that at least. He's got spirit and don' depend on nobody at all."

"You say you brought him in today?" Dorian asked.

"Yes," Mark said with a sigh. "Ah didn't wanna do it, but it seemed like my only option at the time."

"Sorry," Dorian said. "I wasn't at HQ that time of the day. But I'm sure he's still there, and still in good shape. Like you said, he's tough and can look out for himself. Just have some faith in the boy, he'll be fine. Besides, there isn't a better place you'd want to be right now than surrounded by the boys in blue."

"Ah suppose you're right," Mark said, reassuring himself that Jerome really was smart and strong enough to look after himself. He only wished Jerome actually cared about him, at least a little, because it broke his heart every time his son cursed at him and belittled him. But Mark swore he would never raise his hand to a child or a woman, much less his son. He probably would have injured him if he had, given Mark's frame and strength. He tried to control his passions and try and understand Jerome's difficulties; his parents were never around when he most needed them, especially Mark, and he didn't blame him for hating him. But what could ah do? Mark thought. A man has ta' pay the bills, feed his family, keep himself healthy. Mark thought about his wide frame, remembering Alyssa's insults and her utter disgust with his appearance, then fell into a dark pit of guilt and self-loathing. She was only saying the truth, he thought. Maybe Jerome's ashamed of me. He must think ah'm hideous, that ah'm an ox, but ah cain't help it. Ah jus' don' have the time to keep mahself in good enough shape tah satisfy him or his momma, there just ain't enough time, an' ah'm getting' too old. Man can only do so much. But ah know ah ought ta' be able to control myself, ah'm an adult, a full grown man; but it's just so hard, so damned hard to control yo passions. Ah'm so sorry, Jerome.

Mark slumped back into his seat next to Kevin, who noticed his depressed demeanor. He patted him on his shoulder in an effort to comfort him.

"C'mon big guy," he said. "I'm sure the kid's doin' just fine. You just gotta have faith in him."

"Yes," Mark said. "Ah know that, an' ah do. But ah'm a parent dammit, ah should be protectin' mah son. But ah've failed as a father already, ah guess there ain't nothin' I can do fo him no more."

"C'mon ya' big lug," Alyssa said. "We'll be there soon anyhow, what could possibly go wrong until then?"

As if on cue, the van turned a corner and Dorian let out a curse as Harry sat up attentively in his chair. A dead end stood before them, a high brick wall that they had no hope of penetrating.

"Looks like our ride ends here," Dorian said. "Quickly, stock yourselves up with some firearms and let's keep moving. No telling how far behind us those things still are."

"I can't believe this shit," Alyssa said. "Can't you pigs do anything right!"

"Have some respect Alyssa!" Mark growled. "These men just saved yo life, how kin you talk to them that way?"

"I talk how I want grandpa," Alyssa said. "Don't try to tell ME what to do!"

"Alyssa," Kevin said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Calm down. I know you're irritated and tired, but bitching will only push yourself farther away from us. And you need us, just like we need you. To survive this hell on earth. Please understand, we want to live through this as much as you do and with everybody alive. You can trust us, Ally. Trust me at least."

Nobody had ever given Alyssa a nickname before. Kevin winked at her, and her first response was normally a sneer or roll of the eyes, but this time she simply let out a "humph" and said nothing more.

The group then abandoned the van and walked down a thin, dark alley, the sounds of screams, blazing fires and the ever consistent moaning and groaning of the walking cadavers bouncing around the tight walls that surrounded them on both sides.

"So Alyssa," Kevin said. "You're with the paper right?"

"That's right," she responded.

"Now tell me somethin'," he said, slinging his shotgun over his shoulder in a casual manner. "What is the deal with that lil' cartoon animal they put at the top corner of every issue? I mean the thing's called Raccoon Times, and they put some ugly lil' cartoon that doesn't even resemble a raccoon, or anything at all really, except maybe my grandpa's old toupee. I swear I saw that thing jump into a tree once from my grandpa's bedroom!"  
Alyssa smirked slightly, although she tried to turn her head away from Kevin. Kevin noticed it but didn't say anything, he only smiled to himself.

"I hate that stupid cartoon," she said. "Our boss insists on putting it in there every issue. He thinks it's "cute," like a mascot or something, and it'll attract animal lovers. More like morons, the two aren't all that different as far as I'm concerned. It's a waste of space and royalties we hafta pay to the guy that draws it."

"What do you do at the paper?"

"I write."

"What are some of the stories you've done? Maybe I read one of em'."

"Stupid, pointless drivel about a bunch of bullshit that nobody even gives a damn about. My idiot boss has a grudge against me cuz I won't give him head like every goddamn fucking bimbo that sucks and fucks her way into that paper, so I never get any of the good stories. He gives me shit about some kids stealing from the high school or some new building opening or some stupid shit like that. Makes me sick. I'm a great writer, I should be doing REAL stories, not wasting my time on shit nobody cares about and will just skip over to read what's on the headlines."

"Your boss sounds like a real asshole to me," Kevin said. "Why do you put up with it? Is it cuz of your dad?"

Alyssa remained silent for awhile. "Maybe," she said. "Writing's the only thing I've been really good at, and I don't have the money to move from that asshole, and he won't let me quit anyway and he'll never fire me."

"That can't be the only thing you're good at," Kevin said. "Aside from being damn hot, you shoot that gun just as good, if not better, than I do. And that's saying a lot because frankly I rock!"

"Take it easy tiger," she said. "Don't go shooting your load off so early in the game. The night is young and there are lots more boogie men to blow up."

"Tiger huh?" Kevin said. "I like that! Almost as much as I like bein' called cowboy."

Alyssa reluctantly let half a smirk emerge across her face, which she tried to cover with her hand.

"Was that a smile just now?" Kevin said in a teasing tone. "I'll bet you strained half your jaw muscles just to form that thing! Did I actually strike a nerve somewhere, your funny bone maybe?"

"Oh please," Alyssa said, annoyed and turning red. "Get over yourself. I was thinking of a joke I heard awhile back."

"Yeah?" Kevin said. "Tell it to me."

"Why should I?" she said.

"Cuz I love a good joke, and I'd really love to hear one from you of all people. I'll bet you have a sense of humor, somewhere under than thick skin," he said, poking her in the arm playfully.

"I have to have a sense of humor to be around somebody like you all the damn time," she said, half smiling.

Kevin laughed. "Now that wasn't so hard was it? I knew you had it in you. You put on this macho Rambo girl image, but I'll bet you're just as big a softy as Cindy is on the inside."

"Ugh," Alyssa said in disgust. "Don't talk to me about that girl. She sickens me how cute and nice she acts. I swear her whole damsel in distress thing makes me wanna puke flowers and cotton candy."  
"Hah," Kevin laughed. "I think Cindy's a real sweetheart. Easy on the eyes too."

"Of course, just like you men," Alyssa complained. "You want the typical, girly housewife that'll do what she's told and keep her trap shut until you're ready for your daily blow job and pancakes."

"I love pancakes!"

"You would."

"But to be honest, Cindy isn't really my type. She's a nice girl, but I like my women with spice. Like you. You got spice, and that's what turns me on about you. You aren't like all the girls I grew up dating. You don't take bullshit from anybody, and you curse like a sailor. Man, I wish we'd been in high school together, I'd have asked you out in a second! It woulda been fun to play hard-to-get with you. Heck we coulda shot rabbits together in the woods, I'll bet you woulda enjoyed that!"

Alyssa didn't know how to respond to Kevin's flattery and simply stared at the ground. Nobody, no man at least, had ever complimented her on who she was as a person. Most of the men she'd dated consisted of horny drunks more interested in her tits than her demeanor. She was starting to think maybe Kevin wasn't just any normal man.

"Kevin," she said. "I,"

"What is it?" he said, curious.

"I, kind of wish, I'd met you in high school too," she said. "I think, we could have been…friends."

Kevin found himself speechless, he found it hard to believe she was even listening to him to begin with.

"Well," Dorian said, looking around the corner. "This alley is a dead end too. Looks like we're trapped in this alley, I don't see any good reason to go back to the van."

Suddenly Alyssa lifted her head and looked at the rooftops above.

"Oh shit," she said.

"What? What's wrong?" Kevin said.

"This is the Raccoon Today building," she said. "I work here."

"Alyssa," Mark said. "Do you have a key? Somethin' we can use ta' get in the building?"

"No," Alyssa said. "But, there's a fire escape around the other side. If we can reach that, maybe we can get into the building, find a phone, or get to the rooftop or something."

"Lead the way, sugar lips!" Kevin said.

Alyssa smirked.

The group followed her to the back alley behind the building and found the fire escape, although the ladder was secured above their heads.

"We hafta get it down," Dorian said. "We'll need to vault someone up there."

"Alyssa is the lightest," Mark said. "One of us can help her reach it."

"No way you're putting your paws all over me Chubbs," Alyssa said.

"I'll give you a boost," Kevin said.

The two of them stood under the ladder and looked up.

"How are we going to do this?" she said.

"Simple," Kevin said. "Put your arms on my shoulders and one foot on my knee, and I'll vault you up there and you grab the ladder and pull it down."

"Fine," Alyssa said, blowing at her own hair as if agitated.

Alyssa put her hands on his shoulders as Kevin put one knee out and wrapped his hands around her waist.

"Watch it buster," she said. "If you try to cop a feel on me, I'll rip your nut sack off and hang them on my car like those fuckin' pine trees."

"Ha ha ha! COP a feel, I get it! Hoo, you're good Alyssa."

Alyssa didn't know whether she found Kevin's inability to feel insulted annoying or, in some strange way, comforting. Kevin lifted Alyssa into the air suddenly, to her surprise, and she was able to grab onto the ladder and pull it down. She fell sideways and Kevin caught her from the waist, keeping her from falling on her back. For a moment they looked at each other, but soon Alyssa pulled herself out of his grasp and wiped her suit as if she'd been dirtied just by his touch.

"Thanks," she said, almost painfully, to Kevin.

"Anytime princess," Kevin said with a laugh.

"Princess! Why you, you,"

"I knew you'd like that one! Hahaha!"

"Oh God," Dorian said, looking around the corner of the back alley. "They're coming, they're coming! Quick, get up the ladder! NOW!"

Harry rushed past all the others and climbed the ladder, followed by Mark, Kevin and Alyssa. Dorian fired his gun at the zombies, buying the others time, and ran towards the ladder and began to climb it. Kevin waved him on when suddenly the ladder began to creak, the screws that fastened it to the fire escape coming loose from the weight. The zombies began to tug on the other end as Dorian struggled to grasp onto the ladder until it finally gave way, sending Dorian crashing down with the ladder into the sea of undead that had flooded the alley. Thousands of arms embraced and pulled him into the waves of that dead sea and drowned him in his own blood, which purged from his mouth producing a sickening gargled scream that chilled the horrified onlookers. Kevin screamed and fired a few rounds into the crowd until Alyssa grabbed his arm to stop him.

"You're only wasting ammo," she said. "The guy is dead, there's nothing we can do for him, it'll serve us better now. Let's get moving cowboy!"

"Ah'm sorry Kevin," Mark said. "But she's right. We cain't do nothin' for 'im now."

"Dammit," Kevin said, pulling his shotgun back to his side.

"Try not to look down," Alyssa said, climbing the steel stairs of the fire escape. "Let's hurry. I know what floor we can get into easily."

Kevin looked down at the river of undead that flowed below him, unable to see Dorian's body anywhere, then sighed and followed the others up the fire escape. Kevin was getting used to the sight of his friends and co-workers being mauled, and he didn't like that sort of desensitizing at all.


	16. Chapter 16

16. A Headline To Die For

Alyssa, Kevin, Mark and Harry reached the top of the fire escape, which was near the top of the Raccoon Today building. The moans of the zombies could be hear down below as Alyssa tried to open a closed window with no luck.

"Agh," she complained. "It's locked." She turned to Mark. "Make yourself useful baldy, and bash open this window for me."

Mark sighed and walked over to the window, raising his shotgun and swinging the butt end into the window three times before it cracked and eventually shattered. The group climbed in and looked around the room. It appeared to be a confined office with a desk, the only light coming from the window the group had broken through. Alyssa soon realized where they were. Kevin grabbed a phone that sat on the desk and lifted it to his ear.

"Shit," he said, hanging it up. "It's dead."

"Prolly wouldn' help anyway," Mark said. "Who would we call?"

"I dunno," Kevin said with a smirk. "Ghostbusters?"

"This is," Alyssa said, before hearing the sounds of something moving. Papers littered the office floor, and the sound of something crawling across them could be heard behind the desk. Kevin lifted his .45 as Mark lifted his shotgun, while Harry trembled and shoot in the back of the room, clinging to the shotgun tightly but not aiming it, instead holding it like a broom with both hands. Alyssa crept along the side of the desk, pulling her weapon out from her suit jacket, then quickly stepped around the side of the desk and aimed. A man, cowering on the floor, covered his face in surprise and screamed.

"Get up!" Alyssa ordered aggressively. The man complied, raising both hands into the air. She then recognized him as Stanley Spiegelman, editor of the paper.

"You!" she said.

"Alyssa!" he said. "Oh thank God, you brought help!"

"What?" she said. "I didn't come here to save you Stanley. What the hell are you still doing here?"

"I, I um," Stanley said hesitantly. "I was, going to have a, uh, a meeting with Gloria."

"Gawd," Alyssa said, putting her hand to her forehead as if she had a headache. "Fucking your own secretary in your office, while your wife is home raising your kid. You're disgusting."

Alyssa then noticed that Stanley's arm was bleeding.

"You're bleeding," she said.

"What happened?" Mark asked.

"One of those things," he said. "It, it bit me!"

Alyssa's eyes widened and she quickly raised the gun to Stanley's head.

"That's all the excuse I need," she said in a very dark tone.

"What are you doing!" Stanley said, taking a step back. "ARE YOU INSANE!"

"Alyssa," Kevin said, walking up to her from the side of the desk. "Don't. Please."

"You don't understand Kevin," she said, sweat beginning to drip from her forehead. "I've been waiting for an opportunity like this for a LONG fucking TIME! You can't stop me. He's going to turn, you know that. The BEST we can do for this walking, talking stack of shit is end his fucking life in the blink of an eye. Do you have ANY idea how miserable this man is! Do you even have the faintest idea what he's tried to get me to do? How much fucking misery he's caused me? I am NOT going to pass up this opportunity!"

"Alyssa, please," Kevin said, putting his hand on hers, which began to shake violently as she lightly pressed her finger against the trigger. "You can't just take a man's life because he's an asshole, not while he's still one of us. You will regret this day, this moment, if you pull that trigger. I know that. I once killed a man on duty, and he was a criminal, a no good son of a bitch who killed people. But when I shot him, it didn't bring those people back, it didn't bring comfort to their family, and it didn't right his wrongs. The only thing that happened, is that now I see that man's face every time I sleep, the vacancy in his eyes piercing me, strangling me, drowning me. Murder clings to you like a parasite, and it won't ever let you go. You might hate this guy, but I guarantee you will one day regret this. Please Alyssa, I know you aren't so fucking sadistic to just kill another human being. You're better than that, better than him."

Alyssa's chest heaved in and out, her face still dead set on the man. She turned her eyes towards Kevin, who was looking at her sternly but in a way that expressed concern. Slowly she lowered her weapon and held it by her side as Kevin patted her on the back.

"And if he does turn," Kevin said with a smirk. "I promise he's all yours."

"What!" Stanley said. "You can't be serious!"

Mark cocked his shotgun. "We are," he said in a threatening tone.

Stanley shuttered as Alyssa walked away from them, frustrated. She then opened the door and found a woman's body lying at the foot of it, her back covered in blood and giant bloody shred marks streaking down along its surface.

"Gloria!" Alyssa said.

"She tried to get in here," Stanley said. "She screamed for me to open the door, but those things were right behind her. I couldn't let them get in, I would die! I HAD to keep her out there, or they would find me!"

Alyssa began fuming with an inner rage.

"You pathetic little worm," she said. "How can you be so goddamn selfish? Your life isn't worth the fucking dog shit on the bottom of my boots."

"Would you have let her in! WOULD YOU! I doubt it Alyssa! You aren't one to talk you fucking bitch! The only person YOU care about is yourself!"

"Tha's enough," Mark said, standing between them. "We got ta' get out a' here fore those things come back. No use cryin' over spilt milk, le's get ourselves outta here alive fore we start pointin' fingers. Time's waistin'."

"Mark's right," Kevin said. "You two can fight later. Let's kill some dead people…again."

The group filed out of the office, Mark standing in front of both Stanley and Harry, who stayed in the back as Kevin and Alyssa covered the front. Alyssa made sure to get as much distance between her and Stanley, peering at him hatefully out of the corner of his eye, watching for any small hint that he was going to turn on them.

"Stay focused killer," Kevin said. "Last thing I need is my backup thinking about capping somebody who isn't even worth the cost of the bullet."

Alyssa frowned but took Kevin's advice, scanning the halls and checking through the doorways. Gradually they turned a corner, only to find a sight that stunned Kevin and Alyssa. The wall was covered in blood as a corpse lay against it. Kevin stepped closer to the body.

"Where's the…head?" he said.

"This jus' ain't sanitary," Mark said. "No way in hell one a' those things coulda done that."

"Could we please keep moving?" Stanley said. "I'm feeling sick."

Alyssa quickly spun around and pointed the gun at his head.

"I'm gonna puke! Not turn!" Stanley said, but the moment he finished Alyssa fired a shot off with a loud bang, causing Stanley to fall backwards to the floor. The bullet whizzed past him and right alongside Harry's head, connecting with a zombie that stood only inches behind Harry, its mouth gaping and ready to bite into Harry's neck. The zombie collapsed to the ground with a hard thud and lay motionless. Stanley whimpered on the floor, his hands covering his head.

"Oh Jesus," he said. "Oh Jesus, Joseph and Mary fuckin' Christ, I pissed my pants!"

Harry stood over the zombie's body in a state of shock as Alyssa lowered her gun. Kevin patted her on the back in a congratulatory manner.

"That's my girl," he said gleefully. "I swear your skill never ceases to amaze me! Why didn't you become a cop?"

"And wear that stupid get up you got?" she said, strangely, with a smirk on her face. "I'll pass. No way in hell I'm gonna be looking as stupid as you do."

Kevin laughed as Mark walked up to Harry.

"Compose yo self son," he said. "Yer an officer a' the law, you swore an oath ta' serve an' protect, an' you ain't doin' but jack shit."

"It's, it's my first day!" Harry said.

"Ah don' give a shit," Mark said. "As long as you got that badge ovah your heart, you a protector, now start actin' like one dammit! Don' make me relieve you of yo firearm. I ain't seen you put it to use once yet."

"Y-y-yes sir," Harry said.

Why can't mah boy listen ta' me like that? Mark thought.

The group made their way through the halls until they found a flight of stairs, which descended down at least eight stories to the ground floor. The group trekked it, with Mark asking for them to stop a few seconds.

"Ah'm sorry," he said, huffing and puffing. "Mah war injurie's actin' up on me. Please jus' gimme a second ta' recuperate mahself."

"War injury my ass," Alyssa said. "It's all those donuts you pack under your man tits, fatty. If you actually worked out for once in your life, maybe you wouldn't be such a burden!"

"Alyssa stop it," Kevin said. "Mark was in Vietnam, show some respect. I really don't think we would still be alive if it weren't for him."

"Thank you Kevin," Mark said, turning towards Alyssa. "Ah've had jus' about enough a' you, Alyssa. Ah've got more years under mah belt than you, an' you ain't got no right ta' insult me all the time. Don' you understan' pushin' people away only keeps ya' lonely? Ah don' hate you Alyssa, in fact ah admire yo skills. You obviously an intelligent woman, but you ain't doin' yerself no good chastisin' me all the time. Ah'm tryin' ta' help you goddammit!"

Alyssa frowned and simply crossed her arms in silence.

The group proceeded down the stairs until they reached the ground floor. Kevin opened the door and scanned the room before them. It was an immense library filled with rows and rows of books, files, and desks. Books and papers were scattered everywhere, thrown into utter chaos, the moonlight passing through the large windows that littered the room, the only source of illumination that gave the room a gloomy dark blue color to it. The group cautiously walked down one of the long rows of books towards the center of the room.

"You got a library?" Mark said.

"Not exactly," Alyssa said. "The newspaper offices were built over an old library. The last person who owned the paper, before that rat over there, established it as an easy access reporters could use to research, but Stanley over there hasn't given the place the attention it deserves."

"Great," Kevin said. "Books and more books. It's like one of my worst nightmares, except I'm naked and forgot to do my homework. C'mon, don't tell me you never had that one," he said, looking over to Alyssa.

"Everybody has had that one," she said. "But for me it was at a relative's wedding party, and I farted really, really loud in front of everybody."

Kevin burst out in laughter as Alyssa let out a strained chuckle.

"What the hell is wrong with you people!" Stanley said. "Those things could be in here, they'll hear us!"

"Just shut up already pissy pants," Kevin said. "I'm starting to miss Jim of all people. He didn't complain nearly as much as you did, and at least he had something funny to say every once in awhile."

"Ah hafta agree with him," Mark said. "Silence is the greatest tool a soldjah can possess, an' we need as many balls in our field as we kin get right now."

The group gathered in the center of the room, where a large reception desk sat in silence.

"The exits should be down this way," Alyssa said, pointing towards the front of the library. The group followed until she tried to push open the steel doors with no luck.

"Shit," she said. "Locked, and my pick won't help us this time."

"Can't we just shoot our way through?" Kevin said.

"You can try," she said. "But it'd be a waste of bullets, cuz those doors are reinforced. Nothing could get through them except a tiny atom bomb."

"Good thing I keep one in my back pocket," Kevin said sarcastically.

"How do we unlock it Alyssa," Mark asked.

"There should be a breaker somewhere that controls them, maybe in the librarian's office. Let's go take a look."

The group followed Alyssa back to the reception desk as she looked up at an office that overlooked the library like a tyrant overlooks his kingdom, the glass eyed windows peering down at them vacantly. Alyssa continued walking to the back of the room when suddenly Mark heard a noise down one of the long, stretching bookshelves. He quickly turned and saw a figure quickly run by.

"There's somethin' in here," Mark said.

"Where?" Kevin said, pulling out his 45.

"Alyssa," Mark said in a hushed, whispered tone. "Take Harry with you. We'll secure the area."

"Hmph," Alyssa said. "C'mon Harry Pits, whatever your name is, let's shed some light on this place."

Harry nervously followed her as Mark and Kevin coordinated their next actions.

"You take the east side, an' I'll cover the west," Mark said.

"Will do chief," Kevin said, his gun in both hands as he cautiously stepped, right foot, left foot, down the opposite book shelves.

"Where are you going!" Stanley said. "You're just gonna leave me here!"

"Shut yo mouth," Mark said. "You'll give our presence away. Jus' sit down and keep quiet!"

Mark slowly trekked down the shelves, his shotgun at the ready. He listened carefully for the sound before, his eyes closely scanning every shadow and dark corner he passed. Suddenly a book fell from the very top of the shelf, surprising Mark and causing him to jump and his heart beat to pound faster and harder against his chest.

"Phew." He said, relieved.

He then looked through an empty space in the bookshelf, and saw a dark eye peering at him. Mark raised his shotgun out of instinct, but the eye was gone in a flash. Heavy footsteps could be heard on the other side of the shelves. Mark's heartbeat grew fiercer and stronger. The eyes he saw were definitely not human, not in the slightest. They looked like a snake's eye.

Mark listened carefully to the heavy footsteps and followed them along the bookshelf. He followed until he was close to the edge, leaning downward and ready to see whatever it was he was chasing, until suddenly the footsteps stopped. Mark stood dead in his tracks, the silence the most unnerving thing he had ever experienced, when a whoosh sound could be heard on the other side of the shelf. Mark cautiously peered around the corner, only to find nothing there at all.

"What the hell?" he said, walking around the shelf to the other side, utterly confused at finding nothing whatsoever in sight. "Where the hell did it…"

Another low sound could be heard, the sound of something breathing. Long drips of saliva poured from the top of the bookshelf. Mark slowly tilted his head up towards the top of the shelf, sweat dripping from his forehead. A dark figure sat perched atop the shelf and let out a blood curdling hiss.

Alyssa climbed the spiral staircase that led up to the towering librarian's office. She checked the door only to find it locked. She then reached into her jacket pocket and produced her lock picks.

"You've saved my butt more than once today already," she said to it. "Don't fail me now."

The first pick she tried worked like a charm, and she pushed the door open, letting it slowly creak to the side. She stepped into the room and scanned through the darkness. She put her hands out against the wall, trying to find the breaker.

"It must be somewhere here," she said. "If I can just,"

Before she could finish her sentence, the feeling of an iron box met with her slender hand.

"Bingo," she said. "Found the jackpot."

She grabbed the handle to the box, only to find it closed tightly. She turned to Harry.

"Okay you, boy in blue," she said. "Whatever your name is, bring that shotty over here to me so I can crack this mother wide open."

Harry simply stood there at the door, his face covered in shadow.

"C'mon kid," Alyssa said. "We don't have all fucking day, give me the gun, or break it open yourself!"

Still no response. Alyssa took a step forward.

"Are you listening to me! I said…MOVE!"

Suddenly Harry took a step forward, revealing his face in the moonlight. Blood poured from his mouth and fell to the floor as his intestines spilled from his stomach and onto the floor with a splat. Harry fell to his knees and let out a slight "urk" before collapsing to the floor face first. Standing over his corpse was a horrific creature with green, reptilian like scales and a dark, black snake like eyes. It stared at Alyssa, showing its razor sharp teeth and hunched over stature, its immense claws dripping with blood. Alyssa gasped and took a few steps back. The thing looked like a cross between a snake, some sort of ancient dinosaur, and a demon straight from hell.

"N-no," she said. "Get away from me! Stay back!"

The creature slowly stepped towards Alyssa, its large feet pounding against the floor, then let out a shriek that resembled nails on a chalkboard. It then leaped into the air and pouched toward Alyssa, throwing its claws out in an attempt to strike her, but Alyssa quickly leaped backward just out of range from it. She then ran around the side of the desk and towards the shotgun, but the thing leaped over the desk and swung its hand, shoving Alyssa to the ground. Alyssa struggled to get to her feet when the thing leaped at her again, but before it could pounce her she grabbed a fire extinguisher from the wall and smacked the thing across the face, stunning it slightly. She then ran towards the shotgun and grabbed it, but before she could aim the thing pounced on her, pinning her to the ground. Alyssa held the shotgun in front of her, the hunter grabbing hold of it with both hands and letting out another unearthly shriek. It then raised one hand into the air, ready to strike down on Alyssa, when she managed to aim the shotgun directly against the hunter's chest.

"Go to hell!" she screamed, firing the shotgun with a loud BOOM, sending the hunter flying backward and through the large glass window panes at the front of the office. The hunter screamed until its body hit the ground with a thud. Alyssa breathed heavily in and out.

"What the fuck was that!"

Suddenly the loud explosion of shotgun fire could be heard over the entire library as Mark shot into the air at one of the hunters, who was leaping almost frog like from the tops of the wide shelves onto another and another, swiftly dodging Mark's volleys. Alerted to this, Kevin ran back from his position at the opposite end of the library towards the reception desk, where Stanley was standing.

"What's going on!" Stanley said.

"I don't know, stay behind the,"

But before Kevin could speak, a massive fountain of blood burst into the air from Stanley's neck as his head flew across the room and rolled towards Kevin's feet. His body, now beheaded, collapsed to the floor lifeless, as another hunter, having just landed from his leap, slowly turned towards Kevin, its claws covered in blood. It let out a hiss as Kevin raised his 45, but with incredible speed the hunter dodged and weaved, propelling itself against the shelves and surface of the reception desk, then leaped at Kevin and took a swipe, knocking the gun out of his hand and pinning him to the ground.

"Argh!" Kevin screamed, the weight of the hunter's body holding him against the ground. The hunter let out a blood lust roar and raised its hand into the air, when suddenly it was thrown to the side by a loud blast of shotgun fire. Alyssa emerged from the shadows and ran up to the thing, firing round after round at it, only for it to get up and dodge every follow up shot. Kevin looked up at Alyssa in shock.

"What's the matter cowboy," she said. "You fall off your high horse? Looks like we're even now."

Alyssa put one hand out towards Kevin, who smirked, then received her hand as she helped him get to his feet.

"Looks like that thing took your prize," Kevin said, picking up his 45 and motioning towards Stanley's beheaded body.

"Maybe I should thank it," she said as more shotgun blasts echoed in the back of the room.

"Mark!"

Mark fired round after round, trying to hit the thing, only to find his gun empty. He reached into his pocket and pulled out some shells when the hunter dropped down to the ground in front of him and sent an upward swipe, knocking Mark onto his back. He held the shotgun in his hand, only to find it broken in half. The hunter slowly crept toward, opening its mouth to show its sharp teeth and letting out a low, reptilian hiss. Mark then rolled to the side as the hunter leaped toward him, hitting the book shelf instead. Mark then got up and began to run, but with great speed the hunter took wide strides and was behind him. Mark turned around as the hunter grabbed him tightly by the forearms, struggling to keep it from biting him, its claws digging deeply into his forearms. Somehow out of sheer adrenaline Mark shoved it hard against a bookshelf, toppling the whole thing over. The hunter shook its head, looked towards Mark and let out a vicious growl. It then shrieked loudly and leaped towards Mark, when two loud BOOMS nearly burst Mark's eardrums. The hunter was sent flying backward in mid flight, crashing hard against a bookshelf and toppling it to the ground. Kevin and Alyssa then appeared, having knocked the thing out of the air with their shotgun and 45.

"Thank you so much," Mark said. "You saved me."

"Save the thanks for later pops," Alyssa said. "Let's get the fuck outta here!"

"Good." Mark said.

The group ran toward the reception desk, then towards the exit. Kevin looked back and saw one of the hunters pursuing. He fired a round from his 45, knocking it to the ground, only for it to immediately spring back to its feet. Two others then emerged from the darkness of the bookshelves.

"These things won't die!" Kevin said, pulling the trigger only to hear a dreaded "click." "Shit!"

The three then ran to the door, only to find a hunter jump directly in front of it. The three stepped back, Alyssa aiming the shotgun, only to find it empty.

"Guess this is it," Kevin said. "The light at the end of the tunnel!"

"We're screwed!" Alyssa said.

"No," Mark said, balling his hands into fists as the other three hunters emerged behind them, completely surrounding them. "Ah will NOT die so EASILY! NEVER!"

Mark then let out a roar and ran towards the hunter. The hunter took a swipe as Mark raised his arms to block the attack, the swipe cutting his forearms badly, but Mark felt nothing, and instead ran towards the hunter and tackled it with his shoulder, knocking it against and through the double doors that were the exit, causing them to swing open. Mark got to his feet.

"GO!" he said, running through the doors as the hunter swiped at his foot, cutting his calf. A hunter then leaped towards Kevin, who sent a sidekick directly into its chest, knocking it back away from him, as Alyssa ran through the doors. Waiting for them on the other side was a blockade of police cars and vans that covered the narrow street like a gate, a large group of RPD Swat and policemen suddenly turning their attention towards the three survivors.

"They're coming!" Kevin screamed. "Shoot, shoot!"

"Get down!" one of the officers screamed, causing Mark, Kevin and Alyssa to drop face first to the ground. Directly over their bodies a massive volley of gunfire rushed past, every shot hitting its target. One by one the hunters fell, at first absorbing the blows but gradually losing their footing and screaming in pain. Black blood filled the street and the unanimous sound of nearly 10 firearms being fired in unison could be heard from miles around until the reptilian monsters were no longer moving.

"You can get up now," one of the officers said, walking to the three survivors. "They're all dead."

Mark, Kevin and Alyssa got to their feet.

"Officer," the cop says. "Your name?"

"Kevin Ryman," Kevin responded.

"Officer Marvin Branagh," Marvin said. "Good job getting these civilians here. I don't know how you did it, but you did it."

"I wasn't the one who saved them, we're alive because we kept each other alive. And…some of us, didn't make it," Kevin said sadly, thinking of Raymond, Dorian, Aaron and all the other officers he had to watch die.

"You're all to be commended," Marvin said. "But quickly, we have to get moving. We're establishing a temporary shelter for any residents left in the city. We've set up a blockade at the police station, and we're out looking for any survivors to take there. We have to hurry, there could be more of those things."

Marvin looked at the three of them.

"Are any of you infected?" he asked. "Have you been bitten?"

"No," Kevin said. "But Mark needs medical attention, he's been cut pretty badly."

Mark only now noticed his bleeding arms.

"Come with me," Marvin said. "The medic is this way."

Marvin helped Mark, who was now feeling weak, to a police van in the street. Kevin walked towards the blockade and looked out at the city. Fire and smoke rose into the sky as a large sign with the words "Raccoon City" was thrown across the top of a car and set on fire, symbolizing the sudden fall and complete destruction of the great city Kevin had once called home. Thousands of bodies were strewn about the floor, some of them the previously undead cadavers and the others civilians caught in the crossfire or mauled to death. Fire was every where, it engulfed the streets, its loud crackling deadened only by the suffering, resonant moans of the undead that still roamed the city. Alyssa walked up beside Kevin and looked out at the fiery city streets.

"Hell," Kevin said, both to himself at to Alyssa. "This must be what hell is like."

"All those people," Alyssa said. "So many lives lost."

"I can't believe that just yesterday, I drove down this street, and everything was normal. People were laughing, talking, some were even standing around doing nothing. All of that was destroyed in one night. I thought I had finally found a place I could call home."

"Me too," Alyssa said.

Without warning, Kevin grasped Alyssa's hand with his. Surprised, she looked down at his hand, then up at him. In the reddish orange light that the burning flames emitted, Alyssa made out a tear welling up in Kevin's eye. He squeezed her hand tightly but said nothing more. She did not let go, despite her compulsion to do so, somewhat welcoming the warmth of his rough hands, and simply stared out into the bowels of hell with him, at what used to be Raccoon City.


	17. Chapter 17

17. A Night Without Hope

Kevin, Alyssa, and Mark sat in Marvin's police cruiser as they traveled down the streets of Raccoon, which were vibrant with the flames of hell at every corner. The smoke from the fire covered the night's sky. Mark glanced out the window.

"Ah used ta' think that no matter how ah was feelin'," Mark said. "Ah always had the stars ta' comfort me, cuz they was always there. They gave me hope in somethin' greater, their beauty, their mystery, their glimmerin' power. But ah cain't see the stars no more. Not through this hell tha's become mah home."

Kevin sat in the front of the car with Marvin as Alyssa and Mark sat in the back. Alyssa, looking out the window, turned towards Mark.

"Relax big guy," she said. "They're just stars, it's no big deal. We've got the big bad boys in blue, and none of us have even gotten close to getting infected. I'd say hope or faith has little to do with our situation right now. You don't need hope when you've got lots of guns and ammo!"

"I love the way you think Alyssa," Kevin said, securing his .45.

"Ah suppose yer right, Alyssa," Mark said. "But ah cain't help getting a strange feelin' in th' pit a' my stomach, like this night is far from over. That this is jus' the beginnin'."

"That's no intuition," Alyssa said. "That's all those doughnuts you've been scarfing down!"

"Play nice," Kevin said. "Mark saved our asses out there earlier don't forget that."

"I know I know," Alyssa said, then punched Mark on the shoulder. "You know I'm joking with you big guy, no hard feelings."

Mark smiled weakly.

Soon they arrived at the gates of the Raccoon City Police Department, an immense building at the center of the city. They filed out of the cruiser and Marvin escorted them to the gates. There, a SWAT officer decked in full armor met them, his arms clinging to a large automatic shotgun.

"Identify yourself," he said.

"Officer Marvin Branagh," Marvin reported.

"And you?" the SWAT said, looking at Kevin.

"Officer Kevin Ryman," he responded.

"We have some civilians," Marvin said. "We need to get them to the shelter."

"Are any of you infected?" the SWAT said behind his dark black visor.

"No." Kevin responded.

The SWAT moved off to the side and pulled a switch that slowly opened the gate.

"Get in quickly," he said.

The group walked in and made their way down the large parking area, where a large blockade of SWAT and RPD vans and cruisers in addition to an ambulance created a fortress around the entrance of the building. They walked to the door and met a decorated officer who stood guard.

"Marvin, Kevin," he said. "It's good to see you back."

"Good to be back sergeant Cortez," Marvin said.

"We have a situation here," Cortez said. "The front doors to the building won't lock."

"What's the problem?" Kevin said.

"As you know the doors are electronically locked," he said. "It requires a passcode and keycard to gain access to the locking mechanism through the computer, but the keycard is missing, and the officer in charge of the passcode is dead. The only person who could access the mainframe through fingerprint is Chief Brian Irons, but he also is missing. We've tried to break into his office but we found nobody, just a corpse of a young woman. Nobody has any idea where he is, or what he's doing."

"This is insulting," Kevin said. "How can Irons just abandon us at a time like this?"

"I don't know," Cortez said. "But it's not entirely hopeless. Come inside."

Cortez opened the door and led them into the lobby and front desk of the RPD.

"The fire department dropped off some survivors, and one of them happens to be a computer hacker."

"Yoko?" Alyssa said.

"David, Jim!" Kevin said.

David stood leaning against the wall with his arms crossed as Yoko sat at the computer working feverishly until she noticed them. Jim sat with his feet propped up on the desk.

"Holy shit!" Jim said. "It's the cop and the reporter bitch! I thought you guys'd be zombie shit by now!"

"You do know he's infected," Alyssa said spitefully.

"We are aware," Cortez said.

"Man you still at my throat bitch?" Jim said. "I'm beginnin' to think you in love with me or some shit, you always on my case about somethin'."

"I generally don't like the idea of somebody around me ready to turn into one of those things at any second," Alyssa said.

"And you can bet your ass that when I do turn," Jim said. "I'm takin' a bite a' that nice booty you got bitch!"

"Stop it dammit," Mark said.

"What happened to you guys?" Kevin asked.

"It's a long story," David said. "One I don't feel like regurgitating."

"Yeesh," Kevin said. "You're a cheerful as ever."

A door in the back opened as everyone turned their heads.

"Cindy! George!" Kevin said excitedly.

"Kevin!" Cindy said with glee.

"How in th' hell did you two survive that explosion?" Mark said.

"I can't say exactly," George said. "It's all a blur now, but we were able to leap into the river and make our way through the sewers. We didn't know if the rest of you made it."

"Did you patch our people up Hamilton?" Cortez said.

"Yes," George replied. "They are already on their way to the temporary shelter, and none of them appear to be infected if my test is accurate."

"Test?" Kevin said.

"I received a letter from an old colleague," George said. "He explained what may have caused this atrocity. A viral outbreak of some sort by the name of the T-Virus which reanimates dead cells in organisms and has different effects on different people. I was able to gather tools that allow me to test for the presence of the virus before we arrived here."

"That could be very helpful," Alyssa said. "How many of you in here are infected anyway?"

"I haven't tested everybody, but…" George said nervously. "I'm afraid Cindy and myself may be infected."

"Great," Alyssa said. "As if it wasn't bad enough Mr. Jim here is gonna be one of those things, now the useless bag of fluff and her middle aged boyfriend will be dining on our innards. When the hell can we get to this shelter? I'm sick of this and I need some sleep!"

"That's right," Cortez said. "We will escort you there just as soon as Miss Suzuki can,"

Suddenly a ruckus could be heard outside, with loud explosive gun bursts audible from within.

"Ryman," Cortez ordered. "Stay outside by the door. Marvin, come with me. Miss Suzuki, do NOT, I repeat, do NOT stop until the doors are locked."

Kevin took his position by the door outside the building as Marvin and Cortez ran to the front of the police blockade. Snipers positioned on the top of the vans fired repeatedly at the gate area, where a group of as yet unidentifiable creatures pounded fiercely against them.

"What the hell's going on," Cortez asked another officer.

"They're trying to break though," he said.

Suddenly one of the creatures leaped high into the air and over the wall of the gates. It leaped down to the floor just as a sniper shot hit it between the eyes. The creature was a hunter, the same Kevin, Alyssa and Mark faced in the library.

"These aren't zombies," the officer said. "We've fired at them repeatedly and nothing keeps them down."

Suddenly the iron gate began to dent as more and more hunters leaped over the walls. Eventually they tore a whole through the gate and began to flood into the parking lot, running quickly and fiercly, resembling an army of demonic stormtroopers, screaming their blood curdling, reptilian battle cry. There must have been at least thirty of them, and there were at least fifteen or twenty officers firing round after round into the oncoming armada of hunters. One leaped into the air over a police car and swiped downward, slicing open an officer's chest and knocking him to the ground screaming. Another ducked a volley of shots and leaped over another car onto a SWAT member, then swiped horizontally, ripping the man's face clean off his skull and spraying blood all over the floor. Another SWAT officer fired round after round from his automatic shotgun into the thing, knocking it backward, then knocked another leaping monster against a SWAT van as several officers fired round after round into it at point blank range. Soon the numbers became overwhelming as the monster stormed the parking lot, breaking through the first blockade and proceeding to the next. One SWAT officer lifted a grenade launcher and sent a round into the massive crowd, then reloaded and aimed again only for a hunter to duck down and swipe in an uppercut motion, sending the man flying backward and setting his gun off in the opposite direction directly into a police cruiser, exploding it and sending two officers flying backward in the large fireball. They rolled around as they were consumed by flames, some officers trying to decide whether to help them or continue defending their positions; but the choice was soon futile as the hunters leaped onto the SWAT vans and passed through the second blockade. They now greatly outnumbered the officers but valiantly they held their positions, each one succumbing to their faster, stronger, and numerous enemies. Marving and Cortez fired shot after shot when a Hunter leaped into the air and swiped at Marvin, cutting him across the chest. Cortez pointed his shotgun directly in the hunter's face and pulled the trigger, blowing the hunter's head in half as black blood spewed into the air. Cortez helped Marvin up.

"Kevin!" Marvin screamed. "Get back inside, NOW!"

"But," Kevin said.

"DO IT DAMN YOU!" Cortez screamed, firing his handgun while holding Marvin up.

"Get those civilians to the shelter, NOW GODDAMMIT!" Marvin screamed, blood dripping from his mouth. "Forget the locks, just get them out of there! We've lost, you're all they have now! GO GO GO!"

Marvin turned back around to see at least five hunters decimating one officer, one ripping his arm from its socket, another stabbing into his back, as the others ripped and clawed at him like dogs fighting over a piece of meat. Kevin punched the door and ran back inside as Marvin and Cortez unloaded all of their ammunition until that low but immensely loud "click" sent terror shooting through their bodies. Marvin dropped his gun and Cortez his shotgun as every hunter still alive slowly crept towards them, sending them walking backwards towards the door. Every other officer on the lot was dead. The hunters converged on their prey and formed a circle around the two. Cortez pulled out his hunting knife and taunted them as Marvin pulled out a small revolver from his pants.

"C'mon you sons of bitches," Cortez said. "If I'm doing, I'm taking one of you with me…"

"Guess it's time to finally reach Valhallah," Marvin said. "It'll be an honor to die by your side, sir."

"Let's finish this like men," Cortez said.

Cortez ran forward and screamed, slicing and stabbing at one of the hunters as all the others simply stood and watched. Cortez managed to dodge some of its swipes until it ducked one of his attacks and swiped him, knocking him to the ground. Cortez tried to get up as the hunter let out a scream, then lifted its hand into the air and swiped in a downward angle, slicing Cortez's stomach open. Cortez stood in shock and disbelief as his intestines poured to his feet and splattered on the ground.

"Shit…" Cortez said, dropping to his knees and to the floor face first.

Marvin stood with his back against the wall, the revolver pointed at the approaching hunters.

BLAM….BLAM….BLAM….BLAM…BLAM…

The bullets had little to no impact on the hunters, and for a second Marvin considered using the last bullet on himself, just to make it easier.

"No," he said to himself as he leaned with his back against the door. "I'm not gonna give you bastards the satisfaction."

Marvin lifted the revolver and fired the last shot, hitting a hunter between the eyes and knocking it to the floor. He tossed the gun aside and began to laugh, holding his wound as the others approached. One of them stepped forward and stared at him menacingly, saliva dripping from its gaping maw. Marvin laughed again.

"Go on," he said. "Finish it, you ugly mother fucker."

It let out a shriek then stabbed forward deep all the way through Marvin's body. Marvin puked blood as the hunter looked directly into his eyes as if in mockery, almost enjoying the sight of life leaving his body through the vacancy of his eyes. Marvin let out a few blood gargled coughs until his head drooped down and his eyes shut. The hunter then tossed his lifeless body aside and turned its attention to the door.

On the other side Mark, David and Kevin stood in front of the door, their firearms aimed, listening to Marvin's last words and seeing his blood seep from the bottom of the door. The door began to move as the hunters bashed against it and the three men blocked it.

"I don't mean to pressure you Yoko," Kevin said. "But MOVE YOUR ASS! These guys are worse than Jehovah's witnesses!"

Frantically Yoko pressed buttons on the computer and navigated countless menus as Alyssa looked over her shoulder.

"C'mon girl," Alyssa said. "Just focus, don't listen to those morons. You can do this."

Jim tossed his coin in the air then caught it.

"C'mon my asian princess," he said. "Lady luck is on our side! Get Jim out of this mess! Ya!"

The strength of the hunters allowed one to creak the door open slightly, only for David to jam the dagger between its eyes.

"Not gonna happen…" he said, pulling the dagger out as Kevin aimed his 45 through the opening and fired a few rounds, knocking two hunters to the ground so they could close the door.

"There!" Yoko said, as two thick bolts beside the steel doors fastened them shut. Kevin, David and Mark stepped away as the loud banging of the hunters against the door echoed throughout the large room.

"Yes! Yes! You did it Yoko!" Alyssa said.

"You the bomb Yokester!" Jim said gleefully.

"It probably won't last long," George said. "The doors are reinforced but we must keep moving, there's no telling how long it will take them to find a way in. Kevin, are you aware of the temporary shelter they were talking about?"

"Yeah," he said. "I can get you guys there. Let's get moving."

"Wait," Mark said. "Is the cell block on the way?"

"No," Kevin said. "But we'll see if we can get there first. It may just take longer."

"We'll find Jerome Mark," Kevin said. "You don't hafta worry. I couldn't let you come all this way just to leave your son. I'll bet even Alyssa would agree with that."

"Hmph," Alyssa harrumphed, almost like David. "Just make it quick, I don't want to hang around this creep fest any longer than I have to, especially not with you people."

"I agree," David said. "Let's just get the hell out of here, we're wasting time. We can sort this shit out later."

"Well," Alyssa said, spanking Kevin in the butt. "Lead on, cowboy."

"Yes ma'am!" Kevin said, neighing like a horse.

"Idiots…" David muttered with his hand against his forehead as if he had a headache.


	18. Chapter 18

18. No Safe Haven

The eight survivors made their way through the winding dark hallways of the police station, with Kevin taking up the front leading the way. For the most part the journey was uneventful.

Yoko looked up at Alyssa.

"Alyssa," she asked.

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you afraid?"

Alyssa smiled. "Course I am."

"You don't show it."

"You can't let fear get to you Yoko," she said. "As soon as you do, the darkness, wherever or whatever it is, will win. Besides, we have a lot of firepower on our side, and we've already all been through a lot worse than this. Just stay cool, lil' sister."

Yoko smiled a bit.

David and Mark brought up the rear, with Mark brandishing an automatic shotgun and David a large hunter's dagger, which he acquired from the police van on the way to the station. David crept around deeply focused. Mark glanced over at him, noting his stance and posture.

"Tell me somethin' son," Mark said.

"What?"

"You ever done yo self some killin' before tonight?"

David looked at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"Lookin' at yo stance, the way you walk, the way you handle yo self with that there dagger, even the way you talk. Ah seen your eyes as you killed a zombie, an' it weren't th' eyes of a man who ain't never killed nobody. They is killer's eyes. Ah know, ah seen em before, ah even once saw em' starin' back at me in the mirror. Ah seen enough young men who smelled th' aroma a death as it permeated th' air, who seen their hands covered in blood so often they cain't wash it off no more. Ah know what a man who's done 'is fair share a' death an' murder looks like. An' you more'n fit th' bill."

"What difference does it make?" David said, agitated. "You don't trust me?"

"That ain't it at all," Mark said. "Ah jus' know enough ta' recognize a man who is haunted by the smell a' death, cuz ah am that man. But when ah look at you, ah don' see sorrow. Ah see…anger."

David didn't respond.

"It don' do a man as young as you any goodta' be angry with yo self or somethin' else. Yo anger is consumin', yo eyes speak it well."

"And just who the fuck do you think you are," David said. "My father?"

"Ah don' intend ta' lecture," Mark said. "Ah jus' want ta' relate to you, cuz when ah look at you ah see myself. An'….an', ah also see, Jerome."

"So you think your kid's gonna turn out like me," David said, his tone bitter. "And it frightens you. What you don't know about me grandpa, is I never had a father, or a mother. Those miserable shits left me in a dumpster in the back of some whorehouse. I grew up being told how to act and how to think at the orphanage, and it made me so fucking sick that I just HAD to hurt somebody, just to convince myself that I had control over SOMETHING in my life. Maybe you're son isn't any different. Maybe you push him too hard, or not enough, or maybe you were never there when he needed you. If you're afraid of him growing up to be like me, then I suggest you stop being a fucking guidance counselor, and start focusing your attention on your son. Maybe listening for once instead of lecturing would help."

Mark drooped his head down.

"Yo so right, David. Ah'm sorry," he apologized. "Ah am too tough on the boy, an' ah tend to talk 'im till 'e cain't take it no more. Ah'm jus' always so afraid for 'im, ah want ta' teach him everythin' ah know, cuz my daddy never did that fo me. But kids today are smart, 'e can take care a hisself, ah guess."

"Sometimes," David said. "But we all need help, even…"

"What?"

"Nevermind."

In the front Jim walked behind Kevin.

"You tellin' me Darth Vader couldn't beat Dracula?" Jim said.

"All I'm saying," replied Kevin in a casual manner, waving his gun in his hand for emphasis. "Is that Drac is too quick and smart for Vader. Sure he's got the force and that light sword, but if Drac were to sink his teeth in him he'd make Vader his bitch, and Dracula's got his own magic he can use against him just as well."

"Man I know what this is," Jim said, pointing at Kevin as if to taunt him. "This is about a brothah against the whitest undead fool you'll find. Only reason you backin' that blood suckin' Count Chocula is cuz he's the whitest mothah fuckah on the planet, an' Vader the blackest, baddest SOB in the fuckin' galaxy. The man can jus'" Jim squeezes his hand tightly for emphasis. "Squeeeeeeze 'is hands an' you choke to death like Hugh Hefner chokin' on a Viagra pill."

Kevin laughed heartily.

"If I wanted to choose the whitest man on the planet to beat Darth Vader, I'd have chosen Michael Jackson!"

"Oh no you didn't!" Jim said. "Don't tell me you just assaulted the king himself! Let me tell you white boy, MJ belongs ta' us, no matter what color he got now!"

Jim begins to do a terrible impression of the king of pop, grabbing his crotch and brutally destroying the moonwalk, his sneakers squeaking loudly. He walks backwards towards the wall and does a spin.

"There," Jim said. "Now ain't that some shit? I'm a baaaaaad man. OooooOOOOoooo!"

Suddenly the boarded up window behind him broke and a zombie reached through the window, grabbing Jim from the shoulders. Jim let out a scream that would do the king of pop proud as Alyssa aimed her gun and fired a shot, hitting the zombie directly between the eyes, only inches away from Jim's face. Jim bent over and breathed heavily.

"Hooo," Jim said. "Thanks girl, I owe ya' one!"

"I wasn't aiming for the zombie…" she said.

"Man you really are a cold ass bitch," Jim said. "You needa get yo self some Jim juice or somethin' ta' warm yo black ass heart."

"Easy Jim," Kevin said. "She's not all that bad when you get to know her."

Alyssa glanced at Kevin almost warmly, as if to show appreciation, but without saying a word.

George walked close to Cindy, who hooked her arm around his for comfort. George felt uneasy and nervous, even though he didn't really mind her gesture, but it took a few seconds before he could respond by holding her hand. Cindy looked at him, sensing his uneasiness, and unhooked her arm from him.

"Sorry," she said.

George sighed. "Please Cindy," he said. "I'm still, confused about everything. What happened at the hospital, it was…it was, so very much for me to take in all at once. I'm still nauseous about the whole thing."

"George," Cindy said. "I, I," It was so hard for Cindy to say those three words.

"Yes?"

Cindy stopped herself from finishing her sentence. "Nevermind."

"What's wrong?"

"It's okay. I'll, tell you later, when we get out of this."

"Now that's a good attitude, because we will survive. We must."

"Yeah…"

After stepping through a doorway, the group came upon the corpse of a zombie that lay motionless in the middle of the hallway.

"Is it dead?" Jim said.

"Lemme go ask," Kevin said, pulling out his .45. He slowly crept across the hall, the floorboards creaking beneath his weight, and nudged the zombie's body with his toe. He then kicked it hard on the side of the head, still no response. He holstered his gun and tapped his toe.

"Guess sleepy head here's not in the mood to play," he said.

"The less the better," David said.

Alyssa walked up to a door in the hallway and read the label emblazoned on the front.

"S.T.A.R.S.?" she read aloud. "So this is their headquarters."

"Yup," Kevin said. "For a special tactics force you'd think they'd have a bigger office than that. Guess it's the whole "the few the proud" thing. I've been wantin' to get in this thing so bad."

"Did you apply?" Alyssa asked.

"Er," Kevin said, nervously. "Yeah, but I haven't gotten a response yet."

Alyssa opened the door and peered inside. The room was in shambles, with papers strewn across the floor. Being the nosy reporter Alyssa was, she snooped around a bit, rummaging through papers.

"Is there a reason you're just fumbling through a bunch of papers other people probably ignored?" Kevin said.

"Mind your own business cowboy," she said. "It's my intuition calling."

She reached one of the desks and noted the nameplate.

"Chris Redfield," she said aloud. "Why is that name familiar?"

"I've talked with Chris once," Kevin said. "Not a bad guy, got a temper though."

"Of course," Alyssa said, not really hearing, or perhaps ignoring, Kevin's comments. "He was one of the surviving members of the mansion incident. I sent him an e-mail to set up an interview but he never responded. I was gonna work on the story on my own even if goddamn Stanley wouldn't give me the green light."

"Well," Kevin said. "Good ol' Stanley's havin' trouble keeping his head on his shoulders about now, so I guess you got the green light now!"

"I only wish I'd gotten the chance to see it myself," Alyssa said bitterly.

Alyssa searched Chris's desk then jammed her lock pick into one of the drawers and opened it. From within she found a field report, detailing the events of the mansion incident and the Umbrella Corporation.

"This is what I needed!" she said. "It's perfect! He won't mind if I snag these. He's probably dead by now anyway, not my problem."

"If you were any more compassionate you'd make Mother Teresa lose her sainthood," Kevin said sarcastically.

"Ethics are a thing of the past," she said. "Time to look out for number one."

"And number two, and three, and eight," Kevin said. "C'mon we don't have all day for you to do your Connie Chung thing, who knows how soon those lizard things will break in and storm the place."

"Okay okay," Alyssa said, folding up the papers and stuffing it into her pocket. "Keep your pants on."

The group then makes their way through the station until they reach a lounge area with a vending machine.

"Hey man," Jim said. "I gots ta' get me some eats, yo. Stomach's pissed off I ain't given it some lovin'."

"Okay fine," Kevin said. "Just make it quick."

Jim searched his pockets as Alyssa sprawled herself on a couch. Jim then looked at the machine and back at Kevin.

"Hey hey, anybody," he said. "Got change for a dollar?"

Alyssa then lifted her gun and fired a round into the machine, shattering the glass and causing Jim to leap backward in surprise.

"Holy shit!" he said. "You coulda shot me!"

"That would have been nice," Alyssa said with a smirk. "Gimme a choco bar buster, I need somethin' to keep me awake. I'm down to one eye here."

"Alyssa you could have hurt him," Kevin said, although not in a necessarily serious tone.

"Lighten up Tiger," Alyssa said, catching the soda pop Jim tossed to her. "What are you gonna do, arrest me? I got a better use for those cuffs…" she smiled and winked teasingly.

"Sleep deprivation must be going to your head," Kevin laughed. "Cuz I almost mistook that for a flirt! And last time I checked you needed a permit to do anything that required relating to other people."

"Kevin please," Mark said, interrupting. "Ah'm sorry but I got ta' find mah boy. Is it far? Ah'm so worried about him."

"Why the fuck are we standing around with our thumbs up our asses," David said crudely, stabbing his hunting dagger into the wall. "Let's get moving. I'm getting tense doing nothing."

"Damn man," Jim said, carrying two arm loads of chips, soda pops, and candy bars. "Can't you fools just appreciate a moment a' peace? Grab what you like, it's on good ol' Jim and the ice princess over there! I know you fools got ta' be hungry, none of us eaten anythin' since J's bar went all zombie on us, and runnin' for our lives don't help any. C'mon mister plumber man! C'mon Mario!"

Jim put his arms out to David, whose eye twitched a bit.

"I'm not hungry," he said, but no sooner did the words pass his lips than did a loud grumbling sound unearth itself from his stomach.

"Your butt hole begs to differ!" Jim said, again offering the armful of goodies to David. Reluctantly, David snatched a candy bar from the pile and ate it. Jim handed around the snacks to all the others, who hungrily inhaled them, even Mark.

After their meal the eight survivors made their way through the winding hallways of the RPD until they reached the upper balcony of the main room they had entered from. The steel doors had been ripped open, a gaping hole in the middle. Kevin scanned the area but found no hunters in sight.

"We better keep moving," he said. "No telling how close behind us they are."

The group made their way through the station until they reached a large parking area, where a few police cars were sitting in foreboding silence, their blue and white surface almost mocking the group, promising safety and protection when there was none to be had.

"This is it for now," Kevin said. "The gate leading outside is shut and we can barricade ourselves in until we get word from somebody. There should be some radios in a closet somewhere here, we can try those."

Kevin locked the door to the police station as Alyssa and the others searched through the closet for supplies.

"Okay Mark," Kevin said. "The cells are just down this way," he pointed to a door in the back of the room. "just past the kennel. I'll take you there."

Kevin advanced toward the doorway when he heard a sound. He pulled out his .45 and motioned for the others to wait. He slowly crept low up to a squad car and peered over it. A body lay slumped against the car, the man's eyes shut and his forearm bleeding. Kevin approached the body and put one hand out to check his pulse, when the man jumped up and screamed in surprise. Kevin fell backward but quickly recovered and aimed his gun at his newly awakened target.

"Don't move!" he yelled authoritatively.

"What, what the hell's going on!" the man said. "Who are you? You're a cop…you're one of them!"

"Calm down," Kevin said, holstering his gun. "I haven't been infected. But have you?"

"Oh," the man said, looking at his forearm. "A damn dog bit me," he said. "I, I barely escaped from the kennel and I passed out here, I was just so scared."

Kevin put one hand out to help the man up. He looked him over again and noticed his attire. He was dressed in a long plain white shirt, a red baseball cap, tennis shoes and shorts.

"What was it, laundry day?" Kevin said with a smirk.

"Something like that," the man said with a smile. "The name's Rodney."

"Kevin Ryman," he said.

"Are you the only one left alive?" he asked.

"Possibly," Kevin said. "How'd you get here?"

"They were bringing us here when we were attacked by those dogs. I don't know if anybody else made it, there were too many, and one of them bit me. I saw one kill the cop that was escorting us. I barely made it here alive."

George and Cindy approached.

"You're hurt!" Cindy said.

"He needs to bandage that wound," George said. "or he may lose too much blood."

"I already fainted once," Rodney said.

"Okay then," Kevin said. "George, I'll take you back into the station. There's a doctor's station where you can get what you need. We'll also need to find another vending machine, no telling how long we'll be here. Mark, take someone with you through that door. Just get past the kennel and the cells are right there, I'm sure your kid will be there."

"Me and Yo-Yo Yoko will just chill here I think, yah," Jim said. "Gotta watch over this fool with the cap after all. Gimme a gun so I can cap his ass in case he turns!"

"Jim," George said. "Good idea. Here, give me your jacket, we can use it to stop the bleeding for now."

"What!" Jim urked. "No way in hell you getting my favorite threads all bloody an' shit. Who knows where this fool been? Fuck that!"

"Please Jim," Cindy pleaded. "He may die if you don't do this. You're not a bad person, please help him."

"Here," Yoko said, removing her jacket. "You can use mine."

"Thank you," Rodney said. "I appreciate it."

George wound the jacket around Rodney's wound.

"Okay then," Kevin said. "Let's get moving. I don't wanna be in the station when those things show up."

Kevin, George and Cindy walked to the door that lead to the station as Mark and David made their way to the kennels. Alyssa shrugged.

"Ah what the hell," she said. "I'd much rather hang with those two than stick around Mr. Subway here."

"Sheeeeit," Jim said. "Better watch yo ass girl, cuz I know I am! Ya!"

"Ya?" Alyssa said. "What the hell's ya? Ugh, never mind, it's you we're talking about. Nothin you say makes sense. Wait up for me Davey and Goliath."

Kevin lead the way as George and Cindy followed. They climbed down a stairway and trekked down a long hallway until they spotted another zombie lying on the floor. Kevin approached it and kick its head.

"This one's toast," he said. "Man, reminds me of toasted marshmallows. I'll hafta get some of those when we get through this."

"That's the proper attitude, Kevin," George said. "We must not submit to the darkness, no matter how soothing its caress. Hope is our greatest weapon."

"Jeez no need to get all philosophical doc," Kevin said.

"I like the way George talks," Cindy said with a smile, which George almost reluctantly returned.

Kevin lead the two to a room with a red cross on it. They entered and he guarded the door as they rummaged through the supplies.

"So George," Kevin said. "You say you got a test for this virus?"

"Yes," he said.

"Does it involve…" Kevin gulped. "Needles?"

"Well, yes," George responded curiously. "It does."

"Errr," Kevin said. "If I didn't get bitten by anything, I don't hafta take it, right?"

"We don't know the extent of this virus," George said. "How it's passed between people. I think it should be mandatory."

"That is so cute," Cindy said. "You're so brave and strong Kevin, but you're afraid of needles!"

Kevin rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Can you guys do me a favor? Don't, tell Alyssa about this, okay? I'll never live it down."

George smiled. "Our lips are sealed."

Once the group was done they left the room with Kevin in the lead. They backtracked until they reached the long hallway before the stairs. Kevin stopped suddenly and scanned the room.

"Hey," he said. "Where'd that dead guy go?"

"He's gone," Cindy said. "But how?"

"I don't know," George said. "Maybe it wasn't dead."

"Why didn't it attack us then," Kevin responded. "Those things don't have enough brains to play dead on us."

"Well there's no use arguing," George said. "Let's return quickly before our friend's condition worsens."

The group climbed the stairs and walked down yet another hallway, when suddenly a low growling could be heard.

"Did you hear-"

Before Kevin could finish his sentence the window directly in front of him burst in a shower of glass as a Doberman pincher flew through and landed in front of them. Kevin raised his .45. The dog stared at them and growled, then let out a loud bark that sounded almost un-animal like.

"Alright Fido," Kevin said. "Let's see what you got. You two go on ahead, I'll deal with poochy."

"Thank you Kevin," George said, pulling Cindy through a nearby door. Kevin took aim at the dog, whose stance expressed it was ready for battle.

"Let's see you take a bite outta this, Old Yeller!"

Kevin fired a round that cut through the wind with the ferocity of a razor blade, but the dog quickly and easily dodged to the side. Kevin fired again with the same effect, when suddenly the dog burst forward towards him. Kevin fired again, when the dog suddenly leaped sideways and propelled itself against the wall and straight towards Kevin. Kevin ducked its open jaw and rolled forward, landing on his side. He fired a round off that hit the dog on its side, bursting open its rib cage in a bloody mess. Kevin got to his feet to find that this had only enraged the dog, who then sped towards him and leaped into the air. Kevin fired another round directly into the dog's face, splattering blood against the wall and knocking it back from him.

"You want MORE huh!" Kevin said, only to hear the frightening sound of an empty handgun click.

He reached into his pocket to get another clip when the dog suddenly leaped into the air and knocked his 45 out of his hand. Kevin took a few steps back as the dog, whose face was half torn off its body and its skull protruding the skin, stalked him. Kevin stepped backward against a wall as the dog bent downward then vaulted itself in the air. Kevin ducked and the dog crashed through a window directly behind him, sending it plummeting down at least three stories. Kevin looked out and saw the dog lie motionless on the floor below.

"Bet he wishes he was a cat about now!" Kevin said smugly.

George and Cindy walked down another hallway.

"It's just through here," George said, stepping towards a door.

Suddenly, before he could grab the handle, the door slowly creaked open itself. George stepped back and saw that the hand was a dark crimson. He looked up and saw what looked like a zombie who's entire body was a blood red crimson, it's eyes without pupils and its hands now possessing long, sharp claws, its teeth also having grown straighter and sharper. The crimson head's chest heaved in and out as George and Cindy took a few steps back, then it let out a horrific, inhuman scream and burst forward towards them. They ran in the other direction until Cindy ducked into another room. George followed her and held the door shut behind them.

"What should we do! What was that thing!" Cindy said.

"I don't know," George said, struggling with the door. "We must find another way, quickly!"

The crimson head let out another scream and began bashing and tearing away at the door with its claws. Cindy hurriedly searched the room, but there were no windows or doors. She searched a cabinet and found a large Desert Eagle gun, which was so heavy and thick in her hands she could barely lift it.

"I found something!"

"Good! Now," George said, before the door was suddenly thrust forward so hard it knocked him onto his back. He crawled backwards from the crimson head, who looked down and let out an almost mocking sound, a predator toying with its prey, as Cindy shakingly took aim and fired. She missed at first, and the shot alerted the crimson head. She fired again, her shot hitting its arm. The bullet burst through the bone easily, and with the impact the monster's elbow joint was destroyed and its hand fell to the ground. The crimson head then peered at her menacingly as she fired again, hitting him in the chest with little result. She fired again and again, one shot hitting it directly in the eye, only for it to slowly proceed with little to no reaction to the damage it had taken. Cindy pulled the trigger only to hear the sickening click sound.

"Nooo!" she screamed, throwing her arms up as the crimson head took a vicious swipe at her, knocking her backward and to the ground. George tried to get to his feet, then noticed something glimmering under the desk. He grabbed it and saw it was a lighter. George then stepped up behind the crimson head and turned the lighter on, setting its shirt on fire. The monster screamed in astonishment and flailed around the room, taking swipes at George that barely missed its target. Cindy sat in the corner, horrified, as the monster quickly ran towards George and grabbed him, still set aflame. Cindy screamed as the thing opened its mouth to chomp into George's neck, when suddenly a loud BANG shot through the room. The zombie's head exploded in a fantastic fountain like spray of blood, and its body collapsed to the floor. At the door stood Kevin, who was breathing heavily.

"What in God's name was that?" he said.

Suddenly the body began to spasm, rolling and jerking along the floor. It even took a few swipes at Cindy, who screamed and backed away, until Kevin ran up to it and unloaded an endless number of rounds into it until it finally stopped moving.

"Gawddammit!" he complained, wiping his forehead. "Barbequed zombie meat, nice thinking George. This wasn't a regular dead guy."

Kevin helped Cindy to her feet, when she handed him the silver desert eagle.

"You shouldn't have!" Kevin said, pointing the gun as if it were a gift on his birthday. "What a shame, I didn't get you anything!"

Cindy chuckled as George brushed himself off.

"It was covered entirely in blood," George said, noting his heavily bloodied coat and pants.

"Well, it's dead now," Kevin said. "Um…again…"

The kennel was a mess. Everywhere around the room blood and gore lay, and it seemed every cage in the place was dismantled from the inside, its inhabitants having forced themselves out. On the floor lay small chunks of meat, innards, and even the corpse of another dog, whose rib cage was exposed.

"Looks like we missed a wild party," David said.

"No shit," Alyssa said, gagging. "This is disgusting."

"What happened to these animals," Mark said. "Ah cain't believe this. Ya' know, ah used ta' have a German Shepard. Poor thing, ah'm so glad he ain't alive ta' see what hell the world's in now. Mah boy used ta' love 'im, even though he was an old dog."

"Save the stories for later," David said. "Let's go."

The group traversed the gore soaked cement grounds of the kennel and walked past the line of cages until they reached a door. Suddenly behind them, a loud growling could be heard echoing around the room. The three turned around and saw two Dobermans standing at the ready. David pulled out his knife and Alyssa her handgun.

"Get moving Mark," Alyssa said. "We'll deal with these things."

"Yeah," David said, tossing his knife from his left to his right hand. "You wanna piece a' me, doggie?"

Mark quickly ducked through the door as Alyssa looked at David, who resembled a battle worn gladiator thrown into the arena to do mortal combat, and loving every minute of it.

"You're used to this, aren't you?" she said.

"Shut up and help me kill these bastards," David said, clutching his dagger tightly.

Mark closed the heavy steel door behind him and looked around the room. It was poorly lit, one of the lights hanging above fizzing on and off. He looked at a key holder hanging on the wall and grabbed it, then walked slowly down the hall between the two rows of cells.

"Jerome?" he said. "Jerome…where are you?"

He heard a low scratching sound. He lifted his shotgun up and listened to the echo of his own footsteps against the cold cement floor. He smelled the air, and found the aroma all too familiar. It was the smell of death.

Suddenly in a cage beside him a zombie sprung up and clung to the bars of its cell. Mark lifted the shotgun, ready to fire, but lowered it when he saw no immediate danger. He continued down the long hallway until he reached a left turn. He proceeded and found two holding cells. The first one was dark, but he could make out a figure sitting silently on the bed.

"Jerome," Mark called out. "Is that you? Are you alright?"

There was no answer. Mark fumbled with the keys in his hand and opened the cell. He put lowered his shotgun to his side and approached the figure. It was Jerome, whose hooded sweater covered his face. He sat silently, his body slumped against the wall.

"Jerome," Mark called out again. "It's me, yo fathah."

A low, morose response came. "Uuun…."

"Jerome…"

Mark lifted the hood and recognized the face of his son. The only difference were the absence of color in his eyes, and the immense hunk of flesh missing from his throat. Jerome's corpse looked up at Mark and let out a groan. Mark took a few steps back.

"No….." Mark dropped his shotgun to the side. "Jerome….no…."

Jerome's body lifted itself from its seat and stood up in a slouched position. Mark's body shook fiercely, as if he'd come down with a fever. His eyes began to water and the nerves in his entire body went insane. Tears welled up in his eyes as he watched what used to be his son stand before him in silence.

"Jerome…" Tears poured from Mark's eyes down into his mouth. "Ah'm so so sorry…." Mark openly wept, blubbering like a child. "Oh Lord, please no…don' take mah son…please Lord…PLEASE!"

Jerome's corpse lifted its head, almost painfully, to look at Mark, and its glazed eyes stared coldly at him as if to ask, "why?"

"Ah was jus' tryin' tah be a good father," Mark said, almost responded to the vacant stare. "Forgive me Jerome…please, forgive me…"

Mark stepped forward and put one hand on his son's cheek, which was so cold it nearly gave Mark frostbite. Mark then clutched his son tightly and embraced him.

"Please forgive me…my son…."

The corpse of Jerome stood motionless, then grabbed Mark and slowly opened its mouth, sinking its teeth very slowly into Mark's shoulder. Blood poured from his wound as the corpse of his son began to gnaw and rip into him, but Mark felt nothing. Blood spilled to the floor as Jerome's corpse continued to chew on Mark's flesh, but no earthly pain could overcome the overwhelming emotional torment and deadening of senses that Mark felt. He gave no response to the boy's assault, and only hugged him tighter and tighter, refusing to let go, tears pouring to the ground and mixing in with his blood.

David emerged around the corner and peered into the cell. Slowly he lifted a handgun and aimed, then fired a round off, which hit Jerome's body directly in its temple. Jerome's corpse then loosened its grip, its eye lids closed and it fell silent, drooping its head over Mark's shoulder like a wilting flower. Mark dropped to his knees, still holding his son's body in his arms, tears never ceasing to flow from his squinting eyes, which burned with overwhelming passion and misery.

David stepped into the cell as Mark looked down at his son's body. It was at peace. Mark lay Jerome's head softly to the ground and touched his cheek again, running his fingers through the boy's hair. Bombs burst around him, and he was back in Vietnam, the young soldier dying in his arms. He knew hell, he had lived it, and lived to survive it. But this was worse than hell, so much worse. Again he was overwhelmed, and he pulled Jerome's lifeless body to his own and let out a wail like no man has ever heard before. He was nearly at the point of screaming, though his voice was muffled by his smothering himself in his son's chest. Alyssa came from around the corner and saw the sight. She gasped.

"Oh God, no," she said. "We're too late."

David was faced away from Mark, his arms crossed and his head tilted downward, as if out of respect. Alyssa covered her mouth with her hands and began to feel tears well up in her eyes. After all the times she had been cruel to Mark, it finally hit her how much he had been through. He lost his best friend that night, a man he had known all his life and had gone through Vietnam with him, the very epitome of hell, and now his only son was dead. She became unable to fight back her tears, and she turned away from the others to let herself cry.

Mark lay Jerome's body on the cold floor and crossed his arms over his chest. He bent forward on his knees and cried again. Then, unprovoked, got to his feet and turned David around, and shoved him hard against the wall.

"YOU KILLED HIM! You killed him you son of a BITCH! You son of a bitch…" he sobbed. "Why…WHY GODDAMN YOU! It shoulda been me…Ah should be the one dead… NOT HIM! NOT HIM! OOOOH LORD!"

Mark dropped to his knees pitifully and screamed, his hands grasping David's shirt.

"Ah killed him…ah killed mah own son…A MAN SHOULDN'T HAFTA BURY HIS OWN CHILDREN! OH GAWD!"

Alyssa suddenly bolted into the cell and clasped her arms around Mark in an embrace, both of them shedding tears. She caressed his bald head, her tears dripping down along his forehead and mixing in with his own. Mark returned her embrace, putting his head against her shoulder and grabbing onto her tightly, almost to the point it hurt her.

"I'm so sorry," Alyssa said between sobs. "Mark, I'm so very sorry…"

"Ah killed him," Mark wept. "Ah killed him Alyssa. It's mah fault…it's all mah fault…"

"No," Alyssa said. "Please Mark, no. It's not your fault…"

"Ah left him here…he died because of me…his own father…ah only wanted him ta' learn…ah wish….ah was…"

Mark reached for Alyssa's gun and clasped his large, thick hand around it. Alyssa grabbed it tightly to stop him.

"No Mark, please," Alyssa said warmly. "Please don't."

"Please Alyssa," he said. "It hurts so bad…ah don' want ta' live anymore…don' want ta' feel…please…"

Alyssa squeezed Mark tighter, her grip on her own gun loosening from Mark's much stronger, bigger hands.

"You can't die Mark," Alyssa said. "You can't kill yourself. Jerome won't come back. Please, you're still alive."

"Jerome…"

The very sound of his son's name built up a furious torrent of emotion that shot through Mark's entire body, almost like adrenaline, and Mark screamed his son's name again, but he let go of Alyssa's gun. She wrapped her arms around him and caressed his head and back.

Mark screamed Jerome's name out in pain as David looked down at the two of them. He then looked at the gun in his hand. He felt sick. He dropped the gun on the floor and walked out of the cell, then stood with his back against the wall and slumped to the floor, his arms slung in front of him over his knees. His stomach did cartwheels and he felt unbelievably sick, nearly to the point of vomiting. That had never happened before. He covered his face with his gloved hands as if to fight off invisible tears. He had forgotten how to cry, and now more than ever, he wanted, he needed to. The words he had said to Mark. He wished he could take them back.

"Jerome…."


	19. Chapter 19

19. False Sense of Security

Yoko sat on the floor with her back against the wall as Rodney lay beside her, Jim tapping and kicking his feet against the hood of a car as if to make a musical beat. Jim hums to himself as Rodney's head droops down. He quickly shakes his head however, waking himself up. He rubs his eyes and glances towards Yoko, who looked at him nervously.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'm not gonna turn on ya', not yet anyhow. I just need some sleep."

Rodney crossed his legs and put his hands behind his head in a more casual position.

"Kinda hard to believe all this is happening, huh?" he said. "I mean, just earlier today, I was literally washing my clothes and on my way to pick up my buds for a cruise and a drink. Now, well, whole town's completely gone to hell."  
"You don't seem," Yoko said, nervously. "You don't look very scared. Why?"

"Hey," Rodney said, titling his head back. "Sometimes when the world goes to hell, you just gotta chill, and go with the flow. There's no use in panicking at a time where shit flies all over the place. Why do you ask?"

"I," Yoko said hesitantly. "I don't know. For some reason, I, I'm not…afraid. Of any of this, that's going on."

"You got a strong will then," Rodney said.

"No it's not that," she said. "I feel as if…I've been here before. Like none of this is strange or new to me. I feel….like…I can remember again."

Rodney raised an eyebrow. "Hey, whatever it is goin' on with you, just try and cool it down a bit. No use stressing yourself over, whatever it is that's goin' on with you."

"Okay," Yoko said with a smile. "Thank you."

Rodney titled his cap down with a smirk in the same way a cowboy titled his hat over his eyes for a nap.

Suddenly the door to the back of the room opened and Kevin, George and Cindy walked in with a duffel bag. George and Cindy approached Rodney and administered medicine and wrapped his wound.

"Thanks guys," he said.

"We just wanna help!" Cindy said happily.

"Where are the others?" Kevin asked.

"They should still be at the cells," Yoko said. "They haven't come out, but I thought I heard some noises from there."

"I'll go check on them," Kevin said, pulling out his .45.

Before he could proceed, however, he heard a noise in the distance, toward the back of the garage. He slowly approached and listened carefully, and could make out a low pit pattering of small feet. He then heard low growls and barks from behind the shudder, then loud bangs as the shudder began to spasm from impacts on the other side. Kevin lowered his firearm.

"What is it?" George asked.

"Sounds like those dogs again," he said. "But they shouldn't be able to get past that shudder."

Suddenly the pounding stopped, and for a second the sound of unnerving silence filled the lot. But within moments, the bashing returned, only louder, stronger, and more fierce than before. The shudder began to dent and bend and Kevin became nervous.

"What in the hell is doing that!"

Alyssa stood up and offered her hand to Mark, who was wiping a tear from his eye. He began to glance towards Jerome's body, but Alyssa quickly put her hand on the sides of his and turned his head away.

"Don't," she said. "It will only make it harder."

Mark broke down again for a second and squeezed her hand with his own, a tear slowly sliding down the side of his cheek and against Alyssa's warm hand. She helped him up and hugged him again.

"C'mon big guy," she said. "Let's go."

David began to stand up when he heard a noise from the cell beside them. He looked around the corner and noticed a man sitting on the bench, his back against the wall, apparently listening closely to them.

"Who the fuck are you?" David asked, startling him. The man stood up quickly.

"Oh shit," he said. "I, er, that is, I…"

Alyssa raised an eyebrow. "I know that voice," she said.

After helping Mark out of the cell she stood beside David and peered into the cell.

"Ben?" she said. "Ben Bertolucci? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Alyssa?" he responded, stepping towards the bars and into the light. His clothes were dirty and he looked either very tired or simply paranoid.

"How did you get in there?" she asked.

"I put myself in here," he said.

"Why would you wanna do something stupid like that?" she said.

"If I'm in here, those things can't get to me, and I don't really feel like dying tonight, so if you don't mind could you please just FUCK OFF before you draw them back to me?"

"You didn't answer my original question," she said. "What the hell are you doing here, in the police station?"

"You wanna know the truth?" he said. "I was onto a big, no, HUGE story about the police chief Brian Irons. I uncovered some info about him, really deep dark shit goin' on and has been goin' on. The guy's a lunatic, a goddamn maniac I tell ya', and I got all the dirt on him. But then those, those things started showin' up, and I came here before they could get me. They can't pass through the bars, so hurry up and get the hell out of here before they smell you and come back."

"What did you find out about Irons?" Alyssa said, the reporter side of herself shining through. "What did he do?"

"Why in the hell should I tell you?" he said. "It's my story, why should I just give it to you of all people? You're a fucking bitch, you hear me? And you can burn in fucking hell for all I care!"

"Do not talk about her that way!" Mark roared at him, causing Ben to step backward in surprise. He noticed Mark's bleeding shoulder.

"Hey," he said. "He's been bitten. He, he's going to become one of them! What the fuck are you doing helping him? Kill him before he turns!"

David frowned. "Fucking typical."

Alyssa looked at Mark, then back at Ben. "You may be right," she said. "But there's no way I'm shooting Mark until after he turns. No way in hell."

"Thank you Alyssa," Mark said.

"What is wrong with you people?" he said. "I always knew you were a softy on the inside Alyssa, that's what's kept you back. It wasn't just Stanley, it's cuz you didn't have the fucking balls to push yourself to the next level. You're a pussy in every sense of the word."

"You're wrong," she said. "What you're talking about is exactly what has kept me human through this fucking living hell. Now shut your goddamn mouth," she pulled out the handgun. "Or I'll blow it off your goddamn face!"

"Easy easy," Ben said. "Just, please, go away! What the hell do you care anyway, just don't bother me. What do you care about the story anyway? The whole town's gone straight to hell and back, what difference does it make whether anybody knows the truth about Irons or not?"

"Sometimes truth is the most important thing," she said. "If you can expose Irons for whatever it is he's done, it would be helpful, no matter how small it might seem, to the people he's hurt."

"Are you feelin' okay, chief?" David said, looking at Alyssa. "That doesn't sound like you at all."

"Yeah well," Alyssa said. "You don't really know me very well do you buster?"

"I don't need to know you to notice something out of the ordinary."

"Don' tease her David," Mark said. "She's got a good soul. Ah kin see it, an' ah think ah knew that for awhile. She just weren't ready ta' show it ta' anybody yet."

Alyssa became visibly nervous, as if Mark's kind words actually offended or upset her more than helped.

"Um," she said. "Could you guys, not tell Kevin about any of this, what happened here? The stuff I said. I, don't think I could live that down with him."

David smirked and let out a harrumph. Mark smiled weakly but said nothing.

The group then made their way back through the kennel, when Alyssa noticed something sitting on a table. She left Mark with David and asked them to wait, then grabbed what she had seen. It was a small taser; she switched it on for a second and watched the small, thin lines of electricity dance around on its surface.

"This could come in handy," she said.

"You experienced with small, electronic, handheld equipment?" David said with a smirk.

"I prefer the real thing," she said, pocketing the device. "But I haven't found a man yet who could keep himself useful long enough to make it worth my time and effort, so sometimes a girl's just gotta find some compensation."

The banging on the shudder grew louder and louder until the metal began to crease into itself.

"George, Cindy," he said. "Everybody get to the other side of the garage," he said. "Hurry!"

Yoko and Cindy helped Rodney to his feet and began to carry him to the other side of the garage when suddenly a dog leaped onto the hood of a police car. They stopped in their tracks as the dog howled a blood-curdling howl, then leaped into the air and tackled Rodney to the ground. It then sunk its teeth deep into his neck, ripping and tearing violently as Cindy screamed. Kevin fired a round at the dog, knocking it off of Rodney's body, but as he did the shutter burst open and from it came a group of the undead Dobermans, who slowly approached the group. Kevin fired a few shots, hitting one in the head, when he saw what followed them. An immense Rott Weiler, about twice the size of a normal specimen, lumbered behind them, its skin decomposing before Kevin's eyes and its thick, piercing teeth stained with blood. Its beady eyes were blood red and one of its ears appeared to have been ripped off, the insides of its nose filled with maggots. Every step it took nearly shook the ground beneath, and it let out a horrifying roar that resembled a lion's more than a domesticated animal's. Kevin took aim at the beast when the small army of dogs were quickly upon him. He kicked one away and dodged another, when suddenly one vaulted itself against him, knocking him onto his back with a thud, his gun sliding across the room. He ran to retrieve it only for an undead Doberman to step in his way, blocking his path. Kevin backed off and found himself surrounded by them. They slowly circled him as their undead leader watched in silence, when one leaped into the air towards him, its mouth wide open and ready to sink its teeth into his throat, when a bullet whizzed and cut through the air and penetrated the dog's head in mid flight. Kevin ducked the flying corpse and looked to the back of the room, where Alyssa stood with her handgun drawn.

"Move your ass, cowboy!" she yelled as David and Mark came running beside her with weapons drawn.

Kevin rolled around, dodging the dogs and grabbed his .45, his back lying on the floor. A dog leaped towards him but he fired his gun, blowing off half of the beast's head in a single shot. David and Alyssa fired several shots at the dogs while Mark ran up to a large group and sent a wide spray of shotgun fire into them. The group cleaned house until only the Rott Weiler remained, who seemed to only grow enraged by the display it had seen. It let out a fierce howl that echoed through the entire garage, and within moments more of the undead Dobermans appeared. Kevin checked his gun.

"I'm running low," he said. "We can't hold them off long enough."

"So am I," Alyssa said.

"We need to get out," David said.

"Kevin what should we do!" Cindy said, trying to help the profusely bleeding and barely alive Rodney.

"The iron gates," he said. "They lead outside, but,"

"We have no other choice!" George said.

The group moved towards the gate and Kevin input a security code to get them to lift. Slowly it moved up and the group began to duck under it, with Cindy and George lagging behind, trying to drag Rodney with them.

"Leave me," he said. "Hurry up, I'll keep them busy."

"We can't!" Cindy said.

"Just do it, I'm dead anyway. Give me a gun."

David tossed his gun to Rodney, who caught it.

"I always wanted to go down in a blaze of glory," he said with a laugh. "Just like in the movies."

He sat himself up slightly, blood pouring from his neck and onto his white shirt, and fired at the oncoming group of dogs.

"C'mon you sons of bitches!" he yelled. "Dinner's served!"

The group ran ahead as he fired round after round into the dogs, only a few shots hitting their marks, and soon they were upon him like moths to the flame, engulfing him in a shower of blood. The group slipped under the gate when Kevin tried to push the gate button, only to find the gate would take just as long to lower as it had to rise.

"C'mon c'mon," he said. "Faster!"

The Dobermans turned their attention back to the group once they were done with Rodney and began sprinting towards them. Mark stood in front and fired round after round of shotgun ammo into the oncoming group. He screamed in anger and intensity, when he realized his shotgun was now empty. A Doberman pounced him, sinking its teeth into his forearm. David swiped at it to get it off him, but soon another Doberman approached and David turned his attention towards it. Enraged, Mark screamed and flung the Doberman against the wall, leaving a bloody splotch. Mark then raised his fist and smashed the dog's head into the wall. Another Doberman tried to pounce on David, but David stepped sideways and caught it from the neck, then twisted it around and snapped its neck in half. The gate by then was only inches from the bottom and the dogs tried to slip through, but Alyssa and Kevin kept them at bay with their handgun fire. Soon the gate was down and the dogs were snapping and biting at the gate, when the rott weiler suddenly approached.

Kevin took aim only to find his gun empty.

"Shit," he said. "I'm out."

"So am I," Alyssa said.

The leader dog then wrapped its immense teeth around the bars of the gate and began chewing. Its saliva began to hiss and pop, melting away at the thick metal of the gate. Stunned, the group began to back away as the dog began to slowly tear away at the gate.

"Guess this is it," David said.

"We're screwed!" Alyssa said.

"I don't wanna die! DO SOMETHING!" Jim screamed.

Suddenly the sound of a door being flung across the room could be heard in the back, and into the room strolled a group of hunters. The monsters turned their attention towards the army of undead cerebus Dobermans, who growled fiercely. The hunters answered their challenge with a shriek of their own, and both groups began to approach each other. Within moments the two clashed, and the hunters fairly easily wiped out the army of dogs until on the Rott Weiler was left. The once fierce and intimidating beast was now a sniveling, whimpering bag of overgrown flesh, and within moments the hunters mercilessly slaughtered it.

"Show's over," David said. "Move your asses or we'll be next on the menu."

The eight survivors made their way to the surface, finding themselves back at the front of the police station where the battle with the hunters ensued. They trekked over the sea of bodies, both human and monster, until they found a police van. Kevin checked it.

"No keys," he said.

"What should we do now?" George enquired.

"One sec my crew," Jim said. "Lemme have a look at this shizzle."

Jim stepped into the driver's seat and examined a panel under the steering wheel. He removed it and proceeded to hotwire the van, which within moments began to purr with life.

"See? I'm not that useless, right?" he said. "Yah!"

"Yeah indeed!" Alyssa said, jumping into the side seat of the van. "I'm glad I didn't waste you now Mr. Jim!"

"Rock n Roll!" Kevin exclaimed, sitting in the driver's seat. "Thanks Jim, now get your ass in the back!"

The survivors filed into the back of the van and Kevin drove through the previously shattered gates and back into the city. They passed by large fires and crowds of zombies until they came upon a police barricade that appeared to be absent of any life (or any dead for that matter.) Once there, George readied the virus test. One by one he took a sample of each of the survivors' blood. When it was Kevin's turn, he winced.

"I haven't been bitten though," he said nervously. "C'mon, you can trust me!"

"We all took it," David said. "There's no reason why you shouldn't."

"It's only fair Kevin," George said.

"What the matter tiger?" Alyssa said, lightly punching Kevin in the arm. "You aren't afraid of needles are ya'?"

Kevin smirked and put his finger out, which George quickly pricked. He mixed the various chemicals and after a short time her returned with the report.

"I have already informed all of you that Cindy and I are infected. So is Jim and Mark. Unfortunately, David," he said. "I'm afraid you are infected as well."

"I wasn't bitten," he said.

"Did you come in contact with a large rat?"

David frowned. "Yeah…"

"I'm afraid they were the primary catalyst of this disaster. Very much like the Black Plague."

"What about the others?" Mark said.

"Kevin, Alyssa, Yoko," George said. "Are not infected."

"Well, that's a relief," Alyssa said.

"What happens next?" Yoko asked.

"I'll tell you what happens next," David said. "Those who aren't infected get the hell out of town, and everybody sits and waits to die like everybody else."

"Don't talk like that David," George said. "There is still yet a ray of sunshine to be found in this darkness that envelopes us."

"Aaah a silver lining huh," Kevin said. "I like the sound of that."

"What are you talking about George?" Alyssa said.

"There might be a cure," Cindy interjected.

"What?" Jim said, standing up. "You mean I don't hafta becoming a walking stand in for that Michael Jackson video!"

"Possibly," George said. "But I'm afraid we still have one location let to visit if we hope to procure this cure, and I'm not even positive if it truly exists or not. I will have to put my faith into Peter's words, because that is all we have at the moment."

"Where do you want us to go, George?" Kevin asked.

"The location Peter specified," George said, exhaling. "Is Raccoon University."

"That's in the middle of the city," Alyssa said. "You expect us to go all the way over there on a wild goose chase, when we could be escaping with our lives intact?"

"I didn't ask for your help," George said bitterly. "But I have no other choice. I am going there, without your assistance if need be, and I will confirm whether there is truth in this matter. Those of you who are infected have few options as it is, but I do not expect your support either."

George turned towards Kevin. "You have saved us many times before, Kevin. I think you for that. But if you choose to escape with Alyssa and Yoko, to help them get out of the city, I will not hold it against you. You've saved us all, I cannot ask you to come with us."

Kevin stood there for a second, considering his options. He then smirked.

"George man," he said, patting his shoulder. "You're not gonna get rid of me that easily! I'm a cop remember? Serve and protect. There's no way I'm just gonna abandon you guys! We've all been through too much. You got my .45 by your side."

"Thank you Kevin," George said.

"I'm coming too," Yoko said. "I want to help however I can."

"Good," George said. "Thank you, Yoko."

The group then all looked towards Alyssa, whose arms were crossed. She shrugged.

"Well," she said. "I guess I'll tag along too. Something tells me sticking with George and finding this cure will be the scoop of the year, and I'd be a fool to pass something like this up. I'm in."

Kevin smirked, but didn't say anything, although he didn't buy the "scoop of the year" ploy she tried to put on.

"You better be right about this George," David said. "I'm not in the mood to going all the way up to this place only to become a meat puppet cuz of some stupid letter your friend sent you."

"You have mah support, George," Mark said.

"I didn't doubt it for a moment," George replied.

"Then it's settled," Kevin said. "We're off to the end of the road. It's do or die time. Either we save the world and ourselves, or we die trying."

"Ah didn't survive through the night jus' ta' die," Mark said.

"Then let's get this show on the road," Kevin said. "C'mon everybody. Looks like class is back in session!"


	20. REO Daylight ch 20

20. Daylight Breaks

Greg typed furiously at his keyboard until he finished his work. He wiped sweat from his forehead and smiled. He looked over at a slip of paper that sat on his desk and picked it up. Emblazoned on it was the insignia of the Umbrella Corporation, burning a bright red, and on the letter was a warning that Umbrella special tactics teams were on their way to acquire the top-secret test subject in order to study and clone it, as Greg had previously agreed. The paper gave strict warning that any opposition whatsoever to their efforts would be handled with extreme force. Greg laughed to himself and tore the paper in half, dropped it on the floor and crushed it with his foot.

"The Umbrella Corporation," he said. "They truly believe the world is in their hands. And perhaps they are correct. But not I…and certainly, not you."

Greg walked over to a large test tube that held an immense being; it was nearly 8 feet tall and its body was bulky and muscular, its head bald and its right arm had grown long, piercing claws and was at least twice the size of his left, its heart slung over its shoulder and hanging on the right side of its body. It stood straight up in the tube, it's back arched, and slept silently, resembling a well-conditioned Spartan soldier preserved in time, its presence the very epitome of a perfect warrior.

Greg put a hand on the tube as if attempting to reach the creature.

"You, are my greatest work," Greg said. "You are my Mona Lisa, my Sistine Chapel, you are what Hamlet was to Shakespeare. You embody every bead of sweat, every drop of blood, and every sloping tear that has ever left my body. I have spent the greater part of my life in your creation, and now, you stand here before my eyes. Beautiful. Strong. Perfect." br 

Greg caressed the glass tube as if petting a newborn child.

"And perhaps more importantly, you are my son. I gave you life, what no mortal man or woman alike could ever hope to give. Every breath that passes through your lungs and through your nostrils exists because of me. And I have made you more than any man, myself included, could ever wish for. You are, in every sense of the word, perfection personified. To a mere man you would appear a freak, a monster, when the truth is, you are greater than God HIMSELF. And they…"

Greg's hand balled into a fist and shook violently.

"They want to take you away from me….I, your father, your creator. I made the mistake of allowing myself to be bound to their every whim, but their money was all I needed. And now, they want to clone you. To take you away, and create an army. They want…mass production…"

Greg's hand shook fiercely, and he punched the glass tube hard.

"RIDICULOUS! They don't understand what it means to be an artist. Every sonnet, every poem, every page of literature is but a shred of human experience, it is a part of the artist which he has bravely shared with the world. It is his child, his greatest love, his pride, and his very essence, his soul, is passed on through it. How dare they….how DARE they suggest such a whorish notion as mass producing a masterpiece? There is only one Thanatos, only one perfect being, and he shall remain so!"

Greg turned aside and punched a button on the side of the tube. The water that filled it suddenly began to drain, and the creature's body was exposed to air. As soon as the water was fully drained, the glass tube began to slowly rise until the creature was entirely free, and its shackles slowly released themselves from around his waist and arms. The creature's body did not move at first, and Greg became concerned, but soon he noticed its eye lids slowly creak open like an old gate. Its eyes were vacant and pearl white, no pupils to be found. It moved its head and looked around, then took one step forward, struggling to adjust to gravity and compensate for its incredible weight. Soon both legs were out of the tube and it slowly turned towards Greg, who was smiling and had both arms outstretched.

"This is the fruit of my labor," he said. "Not since the day God created Adam has such an incredible feat, a profound display of artistry seen its reward as I have this very day. My beloved Thanatos, for that is your name, after the Greek God of Death…you are my son, and I am your father."

Thanatos looked at him as if confused. It tried to speak words, but found it had not the knowledge nor ability to do so. It did, however, appear to either understand what Greg had said, or recognized him as his protector and guardian in the same way a chick identifies that which it first sees as its mother and care giver. Thanatos took one lumbering step towards Greg.

"So graceful, so elegant," he said. "Every blood cell in your body resonates power and beauty. There is no other being like you Thanatos, and there shall NEVER be another. Those who wish evil upon us wish to take you away from me, and I cannot, I WILL not allow that. You are too unique, too special, too perfect. You cannot be replicated, and with God as my witness, they will not have the chance to take you from me, and defile your very essence by replicating you. You are an entity all in yourself, it is IMPOSSIBLE to create another."

Greg grabbed Thanatos's immense, clawed hand with his own.

"I named you because you are to be a bringer of death, a harvester of sorrow, a warrior of the greatest caliber. And now, my dear son, you must fend for your very life. They will arrive soon, and your day of awakening has finally come to pass. You will rain death and malice upon their weak and helpless bodies with the ferocity and rage of a storm! You cannot allow them to believe you are so easily tampered with. You are the epitome of perfection, the Achilles of this generation. You are everything I never could be, and so much more. A new race of man is born in you. They compared me to Victor Frankenstein, but I will not forsake you Thanatos. Not ever. My life is in you, and yours in mine. The heart that beats on your chest was built by these very hands; I will never abandon you, Thanatos."

Greg put his hand on Thanatos's chest, only inches away from his beating, exposed heart. Thanatos looked down at his father with blank eyes, then wrapped his immense arm around Greg as if to embrace him. Greg returned the embrace lovingly, his body covered by Thanatos's giant claws.

"Together, we will defy both Heaven and Hell alike. May the Lord have mercy on their souls…for they shall have none from us!"

The police van burst through the small police barricade at the Raccoon City Bridge. In the distance, the sun began to slowly peek over the silvery, silk blanket of the ocean, the sky a warm gold. Kevin and Alyssa glanced out at it as the others peeked through windows on the side of the van.

"Beautiful," Kevin said.

"Yeah," Alyssa responded.

"Almost makes this all worth it just to be able to see that again," Kevin said. "I don't think I've ever been awake this early in my life!"

"I have," Alyssa said. "I see it every morning after I put on my sweats and go for a jog. I never get tired of it; it reminds me that in this piece of shit world we live in, there is still some beauty. Something worth living for."

"Kinda weird hearing that from you," Kevin responded. "But you're exactly right."

In the back of the van Jim snored loudly, Yoko laying against his chest also in slumber, as Cindy and George watched the sunrise.

"It's so beautiful," Cindy said.

"It is hope," George said. "Burning brightly before our eyes. Daylight rises over the darkness of what this world has become. Perhaps it is a sign."

"George," Cindy said, clasping his hand. "There's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I, I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

"How you will react."

George became nervous.

"Perhaps, we should wait until we've survived this."

"But what if we don't?" she said.

"We will," he responded, putting his hand on her soft cheek. "You must believe."

She touched his hand with hers. "Okay."

Mark looked out over the horizon.

"Ah never thought ah'd see that again," he said.

"It's overrated," David responded.

"Ah don' think so," Mark said. "Reminds me a' the day ah took Jerome fishin'. The lake was so beautiful."

"Enough. You'll only hurt yourself again. The past is gone, get over it."

"Ah spose yer right. But ah still believe in hope, an' nature gives it to me, whether you want ta' believe it or not. Maybe if you weren't so caged in with yo demons, you could appreciate life more, instead a' pushin' away everybody."

Mark drooped his head down sadly like a wilting flower. David crossed his arms and harrumphed to himself.

Soon they arrived at the gates of Raccoon University, and Kevin burst through them easily with the hulking van. He drove up the parking lot until he reached the "Professors Parking Only" and parked directly in front.

"I always wanted to do that," he said.

The group filed out and made their way to the entrance with George in the lead. Together they pushed through the large double doors and crossed the threshold of the main room of the University. A pair of staircases ran across each other onto a loft and up again to the second floor. On all sides were doors and before them was the front desk. George stepped forward and looked at the room.

"I still remember," he said. "My first day as a student here."

"You can reminisce later," Alyssa said. "Let's get this over with."

Yoko looked around dumbfounded and lost, yet a strange feeling in her stomach gave her the impression of deja vu. She had been here before.

George turned to the others. "Peter should be somewhere in this building," he said. "I imagine he has an office somewhere, but where I cannot say. We must search the building until we find him. I will scan the lower floor, whoever wishes to assist me may do so, and whoever is willing will search the upper floors, we will save more time that way."

"I'll go with you George," Cindy said.

"I'm stickin' with the doc," Jim said. "This sucka knows his shit aroun' here, you fools'll probably get lost!"

"No way I'm going with him," Alyssa said, motioning towards Jim.

"Ah'll back you up," Mark said to George.

"Then it's settled, everyone else come with me upstairs." Kevin said, pulling out his .45. "Happy hunting. We'll rendezvous back here if we find anything."

"Good," George replied, then began searching the room as Kevin, Alyssa, Yoko and David made their way upstairs.

George searched the back of the room and noticed a large moose's head sitting against the wall. It's eye sockets were missing.

"What on Earth," he said.

"Where're the eyes?" Mark said.

"This is some freaky shit man," Jim commented.

"Poor Moosey," Cindy said empathetically.

"The deans of this school were strange individuals. They had, unique, tastes to say the least. But this moose head, I don't remember it."

"Let's scan the area a bit more," Mark said. "Best to learn the enemy's grounds as best we can. Ah'm sure that moose head ain't th' only changes you ain't gonna recognize."

"True," George said. "Very well, let us check the rest of this floor."

"How about here," Cindy said, pointing to a door labeled Faculty Center.

"Let's get movin'," Jim said. "I'm startin' to feel kinda itchy! Maybe I could use a nice, warm shower."

Kevin entered the long hallway of the second floor with gun drawn, Alyssa behind him with her own. David and Yoko took up the rear, a hunting dagger in David's hand. Yoko heard the sound of the floorboards creaking in pain under the weight of her every step, and it unnerved her that she couldn't help recognizing those noises vividly. A sudden flash blinded her for a second, and a man's face quickly passed across her eyes from behind the curtain of her eyelids, when David shook her shoulder.

"You okay?" he said.

"Uh," she responded, queasy. "Yes, I'm alright. Thank you."

"Hold yourself together girl," Alyssa said.

"Are you sure you don't need to sit down, Yoko?" Kevin said. "You look tired."

"I'm…okay," she responded, weakly.

Alyssa helped her to her feet and supported her until they reached a door. Kevin walked up to the door cautiously, then kicked it open and pointed his gun into the room.

"How rude of me, forgot to knock," he joked.

He scanned the room as the others followed, then holstered his gun when he was sure it was clear. Alyssa let go of Yoko as she and David looked around the room. A large statue was positioned to the back center against the wall, one of the arms raised upward, its hand cupped. Alyssa observed a large grand piano, running her finger along the keys.

"Why don't you just set off an explosive so EVERYBODY knows where here?" David said bitterly to Alyssa.

"Oh please," she responded. "Those things don't have the intelligence to find out where we are. Besides we would've seen one by now if there were any here."

Yoko eyed the piano as Kevin looked up at the statue.

"Is it me, or is something glimmering up there?" Kevin said, rubbing his chin with his hand. "The way the light's positioned, looks like something shiny is in its hand."

Alyssa turned around to see what Kevin was fussing about as Yoko walked up to the piano. David tried to position himself to climb the statue but found himself unable to get his footing or grip.

"We'll have to hoist someone up," David said.

"Not me again," Alyssa said. "I've had to do this shit before. Yoko, you're light enough to be easy to carry. C'mere and give us a hand."

Yoko stood in silence, her eyes fixed on the keys of the piano as if in a trance. Alyssa walked up behind her to touch her shoulder.

"What's with you girl? Didn't you hear me?"

Yoko slowly put her fingers on the keys. She had done this before. Slowly she pricked each key one by one, a melody beginning to develop. In the same way a long retired musician who has forgotten to play quickly and steadily reacquaints themselves with their lost talent, so did Yoko begin to glide her fingers over the piano. The melody that played was both beautiful and haunting all at once, and sent a shiver up her spine as her fingers became masters of themselves, almost separate from her control and acting out of memory more than her own autonomy. Another bright flash of light crossed before her eyes, and she felt an overwhelming rush of adrenaline course through her veins. She fainted.

In the brief moment she was unconscious, visions crossed over her mind, images of memories forsaken. A man's face. He was a dashing man with short, blonde hair and sunglasses over his eyes giving him a menacing appearance, a lab coat over his shoulders. His smile was confident, but carried with it a darkness that Yoko couldn't quite understand. The man approached her.

"My name is Albert Wesker," he said. "You must be Yoko Suzuki. I have a job for you."

A hard slap across Yoko's face woke her from her dream state. The hand belonged to David, and she was being held in Alyssa's arms, who had caught her on her way down.

"You didn't have to hit her assshole!" Alyssa said.

"I'm not sticking around to babysit anybody," David said angrily. "Not now that we found something."

"It's a jewel," Kevin said, holding a bright blue jewel in his hand that glimmered. "The hand came down as soon as Yoko stopped playing. Wonder what it's for." Suddenly the door to the room burst open and a zombie dressed in a suit and tie peered in. Upon seeing the group it moaned and took slow, labored steps towards them.

"I see more dead people," David said, quickly grasping the blade end of his dagger with his fingers and sending it shooting forward into the zombie's forehead. The force knocked the zombie onto its back and for a moment it spazmed, until David walked up to it and stepped on the handle end of the dagger, driving it straight through its brain and out the other side, ceasing its motion. David then messily pulled the dagger out and cleaned it using the zombie's tie. Alyssa walked up to him.

"You're getting used to this, aren't you?"

"Hmph..."

The group returned to the entrance room and climbed back down the stairs when the other group emerged from the Faculty Center.

"Did you find anything?" Kevin asked.

"Yes," George responded.

"A red jewel!" Cindy said.

"Red huh?" Kevin said. "We found a blue one. And one of our zombie friends."

"Yes," George responded. "There were two in this room."  
"But mah main man Marky Mark capped em good!" Jim said making gun motions with his hand and mock "pow pow" sounds.

"That's right we heard shots while Yoko went out on us," Alyssa said. "We thought you might be in trouble."

"Hmmm," George said to himself. "I wonder. Kevin, may I see that?"

"Sure," Kevin said, handing the jewel to him.

"Cindy, come on."

George and Cindy walked over to the moose head in the back of the room.

"Place yours there," George said, placing his jewel in one of the moose's eye socket.

Cindy shuddered at the thought of touching an animal's empty eye socket, but did as she was told and shoved the jewel in with her hand. A low click could be heard and suddenly the wall behind them began to rumble as a secret door rose up and revealed itself. Suddenly on the other side of the room a door creaked open and a handful of zombies began to approach.

"Bring it on bitches!" Kevin said, pulling out his .45. "George, Cindy, check out that room, we'll deal with these."

George and Cindy walked in cautiously. Before them was a long stairway that led deep underground to a secret room, which had a large desk that ran all around the room and was covered in documents, monitors, and lab equipment, in addition to a computer. In the center of the desk, turned away from them, was a man sitting on a chair, his body slumped over the desk as if sleeping. George slowly approached and walked up beside the body. Cindy screamed as she saw it, a gaping hole in the man's head and blood oozing to the floor, the man's face petrified with horror. Its eyes were turned upward and its mouth kept the structure of screaming. It was Peter, and he had been executed.

"Peter," George said mournfully. "What happened to you?"

"He's been shot," Cindy said. "Who would do such a thing? And why?"

George began to rummage through the papers that sat on the desk when footsteps could be heard behind them. Alyssa and Yoko entered. Yoko stood shocked at the sight as Alyssa observed the body.

"This your friend George?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "This is Peter."

"Well hell," she said. "Now what?"

George noticed a cabinet in the center of the desk under Peter's body.

"Alyssa," George said, moving Peter's body aside. "Do you still have your lock picks?"

"Yes," she said.

"Please, open it."

Alyssa walked up to the cabinet as George tried to move Peter's body aside.

"Ugh," she said. "It smells like an old man's ass in here."

She jerked the pick around a bit, frustrated.

"A little more," she said.

Finally a click, and she quickly opened the drawer. Inside were more documents, which George retrieved.

"I'll need to study these further, where there's more light," he said, walking up the stairs.

"Not even a thank you? Typical," Alyssa said bitterly.

"Thank you Alyssa," Cindy said kindly with a bright smile. Alyssa blew upward at her hair in annoyance.

Some time later George approached the group, which was positioned on the loft.

"I've read over Peter's documents," he said. "And it appears that there is indeed a cure for the T-Virus, which he has been developing but has not yet finished. He has named it Daylight, the enemy of the darkness that engulfs us. In here are the details, but essentially the cure requires three ingredients. One called V-Poison, which he claims is being developed in secret somewhere underneath the University, and another called P-base, which he states is being developed in secret through the sewage system also underneath the University. In addition, there is a third chemical by the name of T-Blood, but the documents are missing details of exactly what that is. In fact, it appears Peter stopped writing at that point, or the documents are missing. He mentions that there is a processor on the third floor of this building that will allow us to mix the chemicals thoroughly, all we need to do is gather them."

"Sounds like an Easter egg hunt," Kevin said. "How do we get to the other floors?"

"There should be an elevator," George said. "This way."

He lead the group to a door in the back of the room, which lead to a hallway with a computer terminal and the elevator doors towards the back of the hall. Jim walked up to the elevators and pressed the button.

"Nada," he said, kicking the steel doors. "They ain't workin'."

"Yoko," Mark said. "You fixed the computers at the police station, what about that terminal?"

Yoko walked up to the terminal and began pressing buttons. Within no time the elevator sprung to life with a ding.

"Yay! Thank you, Yoko!" Cindy cheered, clapping her hands.

"Atta girl," Alyssa said, patting Yoko on the back.

"I know this," Yoko said. "Why do I know all this?" br 

"Good thing we kept you around my Asian Princess," Jim said. "Now let's get movin' my crew! Jim needs his daylight fore he eats yo asses with BBQ sauce!"

"You're starting to make me hungry!" Kevin said.

The group traveled together to the third floor and found the mixing mechanism.

"You say we need three things for this to work right?" Kevin said to George.

"Correct."

"We'll hafta split up into three groups," he said. "There's no telling when one of us will turn, so we need to move fast."

"I'll stick with you my man," Jim said. "You got the fire power."

"I'll go with you too," Alyssa said. "When Mr. Jim finally turns, I want to be there personally." She smiled devilishly as Jim swallowed hard and loudly.

"We'll handle the V-Poison then," Kevin said. "George, Cindy, and Mark, you take care of the P-Base, and David and Yoko, you search around this building to see what you can find that relates to that T-Blood thing. We'll hafta move fast or we won't all make it out of here alive."

"Very good," George said. "Let us hurry then, for though hope has rejuvenated us, time will be our downfall."

"Yeah yeah," Kevin said. "Enough with the smart talk George." Kevin pulled out his .45 and cocked it loudly. "Time to Rock n' Roll!"


	21. Chapter 21

21. Decisions, Decisions

The elevator churned to a halt and slid open slowly. David and Yoko stepped off on 1F of the University.

"Remember," Kevin said. "If you find anything important, meet in 3F."

"Right…" David said, not looking back at the group as he walked down the hall to the main entrance.

"Yoko," Kevin called to her. She turned back towards him.

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" he said. "You aren't gonna have another dizzy spell?

"I'm alright," she responded with a smile. "Thanks."

"Okay, godspeed," Kevin said as the elevator closed in front of him.

It stopped again at B2F, where Mark, George and Cindy got off.

"Be careful," Kevin said.

"We will return as soon as we can," George said. "With the P-base."

"Good," Kevin said.

"Don't go dying on us!" Alyssa called after as the door closed.

Mark scanned the area and found an open manhole.

"This must be it," he said.

"Yes," George said. "That leads to the waterworks, no doubt Peter used it for his own purposes. Let's hurry, we've no time left."

"Oh gross!" Cindy said, pinching her nose. "More sewers!"

Kevin, Alyssa and Jim stepped off the elevator and into the tight hallway of b4. Along the wall was a paned glass window, wherein a laboratory with a large, empty tube sat in silence. Jim looked through the window at the lab inside.

"What the fuck is up with this place?" Jim said. "It's like Night of Frankenstein or some shit!"

"You watch too much late night B-movies," Kevin said.

"Bitch, we ARE in a late night B-movie!" Jim said, pointing for emphasis. "Zombies, ugly ass monsters, and you fools! How's a black man gonna catch a break?!"

"You'll have a nice break soon enough," Alyssa said, cocking her handgun. "When you turn on us."

"Shit, I'll bite yo ass first woman before you can even think twice," Jim said.

"Oh, give it a rest you two," Kevin said. "Let's just get this over with and get the hell outta dodge so I can get me some cheese fries!"

"Or some pizza, mmm," Alyssa said enthusiastically.

"Way to make a brother hungry, yo!" Jim said, his stomach rumbling.

They stepped through the door and into a dark tunnel. Slowly they advanced until they reached the end, which was entirely enshrouded in darkness.

"Wait," Alyssa said. "What's that?"

Something moved from the shadows, and slowly a large, hairy leg emerged into the light. Another one followed it, and soon another, until the group could make out an immense spider crawling along the floor towards them. Alyssa gasped as Jim screamed.

"Oh my God," Alyssa said. "I HATE spiders!!"

"Shit! Shit!" Jim screamed. "Kill it, kill it mother fuckers!"

"Anybody bring a really big rolled up newspaper?" Kevin said.

Kevin raised his .45 just as the spider leaped into the air, knocking it backward a few feet with the impact. Alyssa backed him up, firing round after round into it until it spit something into her face. She fell back, her face covered in webbing and tried desperately to rip it off. Kevin moved to help her when the spider pounced him. It pinned him to the ground, its large insect teeth snapping, Kevin holding it just barely at bay. His gun slid across the floor towards Jim, who simply looked on, terrified.

"DO SOMETHING!!" Kevin screamed. "PLEASE!!"

"Man, fuck this shit!" Jim said. "I'm out!"

Jim turned to run when another large spider emerged from the ceiling above them. Jim stepped backward, stepping on Kevin's .45. He turned around, accidentally kicking it and sending it sliding towards Kevin, who aimed it directly into the spider's eyes and fired, knocking it backward. Alyssa finally ripped the webbing off her face and grabbed her gun from the floor and fired at the ceiling spider, knocking it to the ground then walked up to it and fired three shots point blank into its head. She then walked back towards Jim.

"You stupid bastard!" Alyssa said, shoving Jim. "You were gonna ditch us! You pathetic excuse for a human fucking being!"

"Calm down Alyssa," Kevin said. "At least we're still alive."

"I'm sick of this shit Kevin!" she said. "He is only going to get us killed!!"

"No he won't, I promise you that," Kevin said.

"Shit, I dunno why you just don't let me chill on the third floor," Jim said. "I ain't gonna do nothin' hangin' around with you fools anyway!"

"No," Kevin said. "We are going to keep an eye on you. We're not letting you become one of those things without us knowing it first."

"Fine," Jim said. "But I swear, I'm bitin' her ass first when I go all dead on yo ass!"

"I can't wait," Alyssa said with a devilish smirk.

The group then made their way to the end of the tunnel, which led them to an abandoned subway system.

"Shit," Jim said. "This looks fuckin' familiar, ya."

They walked down the long subway tunnel, noting the train had stopped directly beside a door.

"Let's take a look inside," Kevin said. "I wonder what a train is doing stopped out here."

The group climbed into one of the cars and searched around.

"What the hell?" Alyssa said. "What's a guy dressed like this doing here?"

Kevin followed her and saw a man dressed in military like equipment lying dead on the floor, an AK47 in his hands.

"Not bad," Kevin said, picking up the gun.

"UBCS," Alyssa said, reading a label on the man's vest. "Umbrella. Why are they here?"

"I dunno," Kevin said. "But let's ask questions later. We have company."

A door in the back of the room slid open as zombies began to file in. The group fired a few rounds to keep them at bay until they exited the car and made their way to the door. Inside was a T shaped passage, one that lead to a ladder and another that led to a locked door. Kevin locked the door behind them to prevent the zombies from getting in.

"Let's look around for a bit," Kevin said. "See what we can find."

Kevin climbed the ladder followed by Alyssa. Jim simply looked around a bit, kicking his feet bored. He leaned against a wall, which was covered with a pane glass window that ran all along it.

"Man, I'm always getting shit in life," he said. "Playin' craps, playin' the women, even playin' video games. Now I got this zombie hickey on my neck an' I'm gonna be one a' those ugly mothas. Can't Jimbo have some good luck for a change?"

He pulled out his lucky coin, and began to remember his great grandfather Jacob giving it to him as a present. "This is a lucky coin Jimbo," he told him. "It got me this far in life, maybe it'll show you some luck too. That Chapman goodness is still in yo blood, I reckon."

"Thanks granddaddy," Jim said. "But it looks like yer coin is outta the ol' Chapman juice. It ain't gotten me nada but jack and shit, an' right now Jack ain't around to give a shit about poor ol' Jim."

Jim flipped the coin into the air, then caught it with his hand. The room suddenly seemed to turn cold as he slowly turned it over in his hand and opened it. Starting back at him from the surface of the coin was a tails.

"Ooooh shit."

Suddenly a long pane glass window burst open directly behind Jim, and dozens of zombie hands reached out to grab him. He fell to the floor in surprise and crawled backward as some of them began to slide into the room. Kevin slid down the ladder with his hands and feet to see the zombies begin to flood into the room.

"Hurry!" he called to Alyssa, who slid down after him. "We hafta go!"

"Where the fuck we gonna go?!" Jim said. "Get up that ladder fool!"

"The elevator isn't working," Kevin said, pulling out  
his .45 and firing it directly into an approaching zombie's head. "We need to turn on the power. Go check over there!"

Alyssa and Jim quickly ran down the hall to the door at the end of the hallway as Kevin fired at the approaching zombies. He also noticed that the door he locked was being knocked from its hinges as Alyssa worked frantically to pick the lock on the door.

"C'mon c'mon c'mon! You can do it girl!" Jim said, cheering Alyssa on.

"Shut up and go away!" she said. "I can't concentrate with your stupid voice!"

"I don't mean to rush you Alyssa," Kevin said, stepping backward toward them. "But if you don't open that in the next 10 or so seconds, we're probably gonna die."

"Go go go!" Jim yelled.

"I got it!"

Alyssa opened the door and stepped in.

"C'mon Mr. Policeman!" Jim said, quickly running in and followed soon by Kevin, who locked the door behind them. Inside was a small, congested room no bigger than a walk in closet, and directly in front of them was a large machine with a control panel. Alyssa fidgeted with the controls until a screen popped up that displayed a grid of boxes, some of them lit up and others unlit.

"What the fuck is this about?" she said, pressing buttons on the screen that began to turn the light panels on and off. "This is fucking ridiculous! Who in their right mind would go through the trouble of this shit?"

The door began to rumble with the bangs of the zombies on the other side. Kevin leaned himself, pushing against it in attempt to keep them out.

"Just figure it out already," Kevin said. "Or we'll get drowned in dead people."

Alyssa pressed the panels over and over, unable to light them all up. The door suddenly began to creak open against Kevin's weight.

"Help!" he screamed. Alyssa quickly ran beside him and helped him block the door.

"Do something Mr. Jim!" she said.

"Me?!" Jim said, nervously walking up to the panel, which had buzzed and reset itself. For a few moments Jim stood there looking stupefied, then began to scratch his chin. He fiddled with the light panels for a bit.

"I think I figured this shit out," he said. "Anytime you press one it forms an "X."

He punched the panels over and over for awhile until finally he had filled the screen entirely up and the machine came to life with a whurr.

"I don't fucking believe it," Alyssa said. "He did it!"

"See?" Jim said. "I'm not that useless! Right?"

"What do we do now, cowboy?" Alyssa said to Kevin, still holding the door closed.

"We kick some serious zombie ass all the way to the elevator," he said, slinging the AK47 that hung over his shoulder into position. "Grab one of those pipes Jim, and swing for the fences."

Jim grabbed a pipe as Kevin handed Alyssa his .45.

"Ready?" Kevin said.

"Just do it!" Alyssa responded.

Kevin and Alyssa then stepped back from the door, letting it burst open, and Kevin fired a large volley of rounds into the large crowd of zombies. Alyssa fired her handgun and Kevin's .45 one after another into the wall of undead as Jim stood behind them dumbfounded. Soon enough the zombies were knocked backward enough to give the three moving space. They climbed over the pile of bodies in front of the door and made their way down the hall. One zombie lying on the floor reached out and grabbed one of Kevin's legs, opening its mouth to sink its teeth into his calf, when Jim swung the pipe downward and into the zombie's head, stunning it. Kevin then kicked the zombie in the face, breaking its neck with a loud snap.

"Thanks!" Kevin said to Jim.

"Just this once!" Jim said back to him, adjusting his cap.

The three then made their way to the ladder and climbed up, then made their way to the elevator, the door quickly sliding up and letting them in. Kevin pressed the button that raised it and they were traveling upward. Jim fell to the floor of the elevator and let out a sigh of relief.

"Don't ever wanna do that shit again," Jim said.

"You looked good out there," Kevin said, patting Alyssa on the back, both guns still in her hands. "I like the way my gun looks on you."

"You weren't so bad yourself tiger," Alyssa said, winking at him.

"Careful now," Kevin said with a sly smirk. "Flirting with a cop could pass for bribery. I may hafta strip search ya'."

"You'd love to file THAT report, wouldn't ya' big bad boy in blue?" Alyssa said with a smile and lightly punching Kevin's arm.

"Why don't you two just fuck and get it over with?" Jim said. "You," His jaw suddenly dropped as he looked around the walls that passed down all around the elevator. The walls were completely covered in what looked to be a gigantic hive, and soon the sound of a distant buzzing became dangerously loud.

"It's a giant hive," Alyssa said. "And that sound is…"

Soon large bees the size of a small dog emerged from above them and began to circle the elevator. Kevin and Alyssa fired at them, with only a few shots hitting their targets.

"Shit," Kevin said, tossing the AK aside. "I'm out!"

Alyssa tossed him his .45 after ducking a downward swipe from one of the bees. Jim swung his pipe around frantically with his eyes closed.

"Fuck off!" Alyssa said, shooting a bee in mid flight and knocking it to the elevator floor. Jim then quickly pummeled it with his pipe until it stopped moving.

"This place is the bee's knees!" Kevin said, shooting another bee out of the air. "Where are they all coming from?!"

Soon the elevator stopped and the three quickly ran out to find themselves in a large hive that covered the entire room except for a staircase that led to an upper floor and a door. They ran around, dodging charging bees, Alyssa providing cover fire.

"Hurry and search everywhere," Kevin said. "That thing has to be here!"

Jim then tripped over something that appeared to be a body. He let out a gasp at first, then noticed it to be another UBCS soldier, and in his hand was a small glass tube with a green colored liquid inside.

"What's that?" Jim said, grabbing the tube.

"That must be it," Kevin said. "Hurry, get up the stairs! We'll cover you!"

Jim quickly ran up the stairs, Alyssa shooting bees that were charging at him with great precision. Kevin soon followed after Jim ran through the door and covered Alyssa. They burst through the door and closed it just as a bee managed to slip inside with them. It flew around the enclosed space frantically, Alyssa and Kevin unable to shoot it out of fear of harming each other, when Jim closed his eyes and swung his pipe, knocking it out of the air and against the wall. Kevin then walked up to it and fired a round into it.

"Suck on that!" he said. "Nice work, Jim."

"Uuuuuuuh shit!" he said, slumping to the ground in exhaustion.

"I'll admit," Alyssa said reluctantly. "You pulled your weight out there, Mr. Jim."

"Eh…you too, I guess," Jim said. "This must be karma for me fuckin' up all those bee hives as a kid. I swear, I ain't ever gonna eat honey again!"

"Well now that we're all hunky dorey," Kevin said. "Let's get back and put this sucker in the incubator so you don't become a walking Micheal Jackson music video extra!"

"I TOLD you," Jim said. "Leave MJ outta this!"

Mark stepped down from the ladder first and was followed by George and Cindy. He clicked on a flashlight he found on the third floor and peered into the darkness of the sewer. Water filled the tunnel at knee's length and his legs sloshed loudly with every step he took. George and Cindy followed him down the tunnel until they reached an iron door and stepped through it. As they did, Mark stepped on something hard and metallic beneath the water. He reached down and picked up a steel pipe, then handed his firearm to George.

"Here," he said. "I'll use this."

"Um, okay," George said, taking the gun nervously.

They climbed another ladder and walked down another series of halls and doorways, this time with George taking the lead until they reached a room with an incubator inside. George inspected it thoroughly.

"Are there any vials, capsules of some sort?" he said.

Mark and Cindy searched the room.

"We got nothin'," Mark said.

"Sorry," Cindy said. "I haven't found anything."

"Dammit," George said. "Peter said the P-base would be here. Perhaps…"

"We passed a door on th' way here," Mark said. "Le's go back an' see what we kin find."

They trekked back down the hallways until they reached a large open tank. A small room sat on the other side of the tank on an "island" with a ladder running up to a closed manhole.

"Maybe it's there," Cindy said.

"Yes," George said. "Now I remember, that is a storage area, we should be able to find one there. If Peter used this area for his work, I'm certain he'd have kept canisters and materials. But how do we get across?"

George noted that the metal bridge that lead across had been sunken down into the depths of the tank, apparently its hinges to the island had been broken off.

"Hm, let's find out how we can get to the other side," George said. "We may have to swim."

"That ain't gonna work," Mark said. "That island over there is too damn tall ta' reach, it'd be a waste a' energy."

"You may be right," George said.

Cindy looked above her head and noticed a long pipe that ran all the way across to the other side.

"Maybe," Cindy said. "I can shimmy across this pipe. I was really good at that when I was a kid."

"That is insane," George said. "It will never work."

"We ain't got a lot a' options George," Mark said. "An' time is runnin' out."

"I can't let you go Cindy," George said. "It's too dangerous. I'll do it."

"Don' be a fool!" Mark said. "Yer too heavy an' too down in yer years ta' pull of somethin' like that, an' there ain't no way I kin do it. Cindy is th' youngest an' she's done it b'fore, let the girl at it."

George sighed. "I suppose you're right, I'm not good at physical labor."

George looked at Cindy and grabbed her hand.

"Please," George said to her. "Be careful."

"I will," she said with a smile as she put her hand on his cheek and walked over to the edge of the platform they stood on. She then jumped up, grabbed a hold of the pipe and began to shimmy herself across.

"Careful," George said.

"She ain't a child," Mark scolded. "Pull yerself together George! Yer makin' her nervous."

The truth was Cindy wasn't nervous, the entire thing felt nature, and she kind of enjoyed being the hero for once. She didn't like that George was worried, but in a way she did, because it showed he cared. And that gave Cindy confidence; soon she was going hand over hand and was halfway across in no time.

"Yer doin' it girl!" Mark said, cheering her on.

Suddenly a low sound slipped into George's ear. He looked in the tank and noticed something moving underneath the water.

"What is that?" he said.

"Where?" Mark asked, looking around.

Cindy suddenly stopped and looked down, noticing something plowing beneath the water's surface. Suddenly a large, amphibian head stuck out, its black eyes looking up at her. It uttered a deep, dark croak, then let out a shriek that surprised her. It then leaped into the air and swiped at her, tearing a piece of her skirt off. Cindy screamed and struggled to keep her grasp.

"Dear God!" George said.

"George, give me the gun," Mark said, but no sooner did he utter the words than did a large frog-like creature leap onto the platform behind them from the water. Mark and George stepped back as the monster approached, its large hands revealing sharp claws and its plodding, webbed feet echoing around them. Mark then reared back his pipe as the thing leaped into the air towards them, then swung horizontally, whacking the frog in mid flight into a wooden Umbrella labeled crate nearby, breaking it into pieces. It quickly recovered however and let out a shriek.

"George," Mark said. "Protect Cindy! You hear me? Use yo gun!"

The frog pounced on Mark, pushing him against the railing of the platform, but Mark used the pipe to keep away its gaping mouth and its slashing claws. George nervously pulled out the gun and aimed at the monster in the water, his hands shaking violently, then fired a few rounds, most of which missed. Soon however he was able to hit it in mid flight, catching its attention. With incredible speed it swum through the water and leaped out onto the platform, ducking beneath one of George's shots and shoving him with its strong hand, tossing him backward into another wooden crate. The gun flew out of George's hand and into the water as George crashed through the crate, splinters of wood flying all around him.

"Go Cindy! Move!" Mark said, shoving the frog monster away from him then swinging again, knocking it against the wall. The other frog approached the unconscious George and raised its arm to strike, when Mark flung the now bent pipe at it, stunning it a bit. He looked around frantically, then noticed something lying in the debris of the boxes. He picked it up and recognized it as a military issued grenade launcher.

Mark lifted the launcher and fired a round off into the side of the frog monster, the projectile emitting a hissing acid that charred its skin. The monster fell to the floor and screamed, its body shaking violently about. Mark grabbed some launcher capsules from the debris and fired another round at the other monster with the same effect. George began to awaken as Mark checked on Cindy, who was now on the other side.

"I did it!" Cindy said, waving at them proudly.

"She made it!" George said with a smile.

But George's smile soon disappeared as the door behind her that lead to the room slowly creaked open, and another of the large frogs plodded its way up to Cindy.

"Look out!" George screamed as Cindy turned around to see her attacker. She took a few steps back until she was at the edge of the platform island.

"Cindy!" Mark yelled. "Duck!"

Cindy turned around and saw Mark aim the launcher then fire. A fiery, acidic bullet flew across the room to the other side, and Cindy dove sideways as the giant frog swiped at her only for the projectile to hit it directly in the chest, sending it flying backward through the door. Acid hissed all over its body and it screamed in agony, then froze in a state of death. Cindy grabbed her chest, her heart pounding violently, as both Mark and George let out a relieved sigh. Cindy regained herself and entered the door, carefully stepping over the still melting and boiling body of the frog creature then grabbed an empty capsule. She then shimmied her way back to the others. George embraced her tightly as she landed.

"You did it Cindy," George said.

"You helped me," she responded, hugging him tighter.

She then hugged Mark.

"You saved me too Mark! Thank you!"

"Ah'm jus' tryin' ta' help," he said.

"You saved both of us Mark," George said. "Thank you. If you hadn't come with us, we wouldn't be alive."

"Yeah," Mark said sadly, remembering his horror at the police station.

"We must hurry now, back to the incubator," George said. "The others may be regrouping as we speak.

David stepped through the door leading to the main hallway of the first floor.

"Hmph," he muttered in contemplation, then pulled out his large survival knife from its holster. Yoko followed him through quietly. He heard her follow and looked back at her, annoyed.

"I'd work faster if I was alone," he said crudely, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a handgun. "Here."

Yoko grabbed the gun. "Where did you-"

"When you fainted," David said. "I searched the rooms and found it. Now…I'm going back upstairs to look around. There was a weird statue and a painting, maybe I missed something. You look down that way," he pointed to a door across the room. "Nobody's gone through there yet. Meet back here if you find something."

David began to walk away, then spoke over his shoulder with a short laugh.

"Don't die." He said almost sarcastically, then quickly climbed the steps and disappeared from Yoko's sight.

Yoko stepped through the door and trekked the winding hallways, which took her to the east side of the university then back around to the northern side. As she reached to open the door, she suddenly heard the crackle of radio chatter and heavy footsteps on the other side. She put her head against the door to listen but couldn't make anything out clearly enough to discern, so she slowly and silently opened the door and peeked through. On the other side were various soldiers dressed in armor and wearing black ski masks. On the back of their vests was the label UBSC.

"Just received orders from Nikolai," one of them said. "It's in the courtyard, let's get a move on people! Go go go!"

The troop of UBCS filed out of the hallway and through a large double door that lead to the courtyard behind the University. Yoko followed and looked through the windows along the hallway to see them slowly approach an immense, hulk of a man. It was Thanatos, who simply stood in the center of the courtyard and stared at them curiously.

"Now," a voice with a Russian accent boomed out of the radio that clung on one of the UBCS's belts. "Engage the target. Get him into my range."

"Open fire!" One of the soldiers said as he unleashed a spray of gunfire into Thanatos's direction, quickly followed by the rest of his team. The bullets appeared to make contact, but despite the swarm of stinging bullets Thanatos simply stood there and watched them hit his skin with a thud then fall to the ground like paper airplanes thrown at a solid brick wall. He growled as if agitated and began to slowly walk towards them, each step booming with every short stride.

"Jesus Christ," one of the soldiers said. "Our bullets are bouncing off of him!"

"Sir," one of them spoke into the radio. "Do you have the target in range?"

"Keep at it," the Russian said.

Thanatos began to advance closer and the soldiers began to back off, firing less and less.

"Tell him to go now! He's getting too close!" one of them said. "Sir!"

Suddenly a loud shoomp sound could be heard in the distance as a large capsule with a sharp needle at the end soared through the air and landed firmly into Thanatos's neck, piercing his concrete-like flesh with great ease as three footholds also pierced his skin and locked themselves in place. Blood began to fill the canister and Thanatos let out a pained grunt. He pulled his arm back as if to reach for it but found it just out of his reach. He then slowly turned his head towards the soldiers and a dark, menacing stare came across his face.

"Okay go go, let's get the hell out of here!" one of the soldiers said, running for the door. But as he grabbed the handle, to his shock and horror he found it locked. Yoko had heard a loud click in the room and noticed a light blinking above the door.

"Who locked it?" Yoko said.

The soldier pulled frantically at the door and kicked at it, then pulled out his rifle to fire on it only to find it empty.

"SHIT! OH SHIT!" One of the soldiers screamed as Thanatos let out a blood curdling roar, and with incredible speed unseen for a creature his size he sprinted across the courtyard and swiped his immense, clawed arm into a soldier, sending him flying backward at least 20 feet into a wall head-first, snapping his neck in the process. He then swiped upward at another one, ripping off the vest and, additionally, much of his flesh with it, sending a spray of blood into the air. Another soldier fired at him and Thanatos looked down at him almost sadistically, then swiped horizontal across his face, tearing half of his face off and spraying blood across the floor. The last soldier turned around to see his team completely obliterated and stood against the door as Thanatos slowly lumbered his way. In desperation the man ran to the side, trying to make it to the edge of the courtyard overlooking the ocean, when Thanatos sprinted after him with great speed, then leaped over and in front of him. The man stopped in his tracks as Thanatos reared back and plunged his clawed hand straight through the man's entire body, blood and gore bursting out through his back. Thanatos then lifted the man's still living body into the air and looked into his eyes. Blood seeped through the man's ski mask as he let out blood gurgled noises until he stopped moving. Thanatos then tossed the body aside and let out a victorious roar, then sprinted across the courtyard and leaped over a wall at least three stories high with ease. At the far end of the courtyard, Nikolai Volkoff stood in awe at what he had just seen.

"It would appear I have underestimated you," he said. "But it is no matter. We have the information we need. All that is left is to clean up some…loose ends."

Back in the hallway Yoko stood in awe as well, unable to believe what she had seen, fear beginning to coarse through her body, not of the behemoth that had just obliterated the soldiers, but of the fact that it looked so familiar.

She made her way back to the main room, wondering about the capsule on the creature's neck. The name of the chemical they needed was called T-Blood. Suddenly the word Tyrant slipped into her head. What did it mean, and how did this thing relate to it?

She walked into the main room and sat on the floor in front of the receptionist's desk, trying hard to remember. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes, then realized there was a computer in front of her. Having already hacked into the mainframe, she began to explore more of the University's records and found a strange file. She typed furiously and finally broke through the security systems, then happened upon yet another file named "Peter." Upon searching it she found a great deal of information about the T-Virus and the ingredients of its cure, in addition to various test subjects. She recalled the monsters in the hotel, which were titled as Lickers, the dogs in the RPD, which were titled Cerebus, and finally a large, man-like being like the one she had seen before, titled simply, Tyrant.

She then discovered T-Blood was short for Tyrant, and that the capsule on the monster's neck had a sample of its blood.

"But how," Yoko said out loud, then suddenly noticed the area around her had gotten darker.

She looked up and noticed a large figure in front of a large circular window on the upper balcony, when glass exploded as Thanatos leaped through and landed hard in front of the receptionist's desk with a thunderous thud. He stood up high above Yoko, who fell out of her seat. She began to try to duck under the desk when Thanatos swiped downward, breaking the desk in half. Yoko stepped away and tried to run but the monster put one arm out and pinned her against the wall. It then let out a roar and raised its arm, when suddenly something jumped onto its shoulders from the loft just above the desk. The monster stood up and began flailing its arms desperately as the attacker sliced at its face. Yoko looked up to see David mounting the monster's shoulders and slashing at its face with his survival knife.

"Get the fuck outta here! NOW!!!" David screamed.

"Get the canister!" Yoko yelled.

Before David could even figure out what she was talking about, Thanatos reached up and grabbed him, then flung him hard towards Yoko, who ducked out of the way just in time. David crashed against the back wall of the desk area upside down, then slowly got to his feet again just in time to duck a swipe from the monster. He rolled to the side and stood in front of Thanatos, brandishing his knife. Thanatos then, as if to mock him, put his arm out to the side and extended his claws further, causing David to look at his knife nervously.

"Fine, you win that contest," he said. "Now let's see if you know how to use it, mother fucker!"

David ran forward, ducking another swipe, then rolled between his legs and slashed at the monster's Achilles tendon. The monster let out a short scream as if to express pain and dropped to one knee, which allowed David to climb up its back and begin stabbing furiously into its neck, but before he could realize what was happening the monster quickly spun around, tossing David sideways onto the floor. He looked over at the monster's leg, which was suddenly completely healed.

"What the fuck?" he said as Thanatos raised his arm and let it drop over him. David rolled out of the way only inches before the hand crashed on top of him and ran up to the monster again, only to receive a swift backhand, sending him sliding across the floor and through the debris of the desk, his knife sliding out of his reach. The impact of the hit made David's head spin and he found himself unable to recover. Thanatos then stomped over to David's body and towered over him.

"Come to gloat, huh?" David said with a laugh. "You got lucky."

The creature then pointed down at David.

"Well," David said, closing his eyes. "We all gotta die sometime. Let's get this overwith…"

Thanatos let out a roar and lifted its arm into the air, its claws pointed directly at his head, when suddenly a shot rang out. Thanatos looked up to see a large metal chandelier tumble down towards him. David rolled out of the way as the immense chandelier crashed down on top of the monster, pinning it to the ground. David looked around to see Yoko standing on the loft above the desk with the gun in her hand. She quickly ran down and helped him up.

"The canister," she said, approaching the struggling Thanatos.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" David said.

Yoko pushed a button on the canister, releasing it from its position, and stuffed it in her backpack.

"Hurry!" she yelled, helping David up as they ran towards the elevator hallway. Behind them Thanatos managed to get on his knees, then thrust the immense chandelier into the air with a loud crash against the wall, cracking it. He then burst down after them, kicking the door down with his foot as David and Yoko slipped into the elevator, the doors closing behind them. Thanatos then shot down the hallway and slammed himself against the iron doors, leaving a large dent in it with his hand. He breathed heavily, having realized his prey had escaped, stood up and stared at the door in silence, then turned around and simply walked away.


	22. Chapter 22

22. End of the Road

The elevator door opened slowly and David stepped through to the first hallway on 3F, followed by Yoko, who held the T-Blood in her hands tenderly as if it were an infant. They made their way to the laboratory, where George, Cindy and Mark watched them enter.

"Did you find something?" George asked.

"How bout this?" David said with a smirk while pointing to the canister in Yoko's hands.

"Is that, T-Blood?" Cindy asked.

"Yes," Yoko responded, walking up to George and handing it to him.

"Thank you Yoko, David," he said courteously, then walked up to the incubator and inserted the canister into an open slot on the machine. "All we need now is…"

Before he could finish the door opened again and Kevin, Alyssa and Jim filed into the room.

"Got ya' a present Georgey Pordgey!" Kevin said, shaking the V-Poison canister in his hand in a taunting manner.

"Excellent!" George said. "That's all of the ingredients. We may begin the process now."

Kevin tossed the canister with one hand to George, who clumsily caught it, and placed it in the incubator. He pressed various buttons and the machine began to whirr as the placeholders that held all three canisters began to spin wildly. George took a step back

"Now what?" Alyssa asked.

"Now, we wait." George responded.

"What?!" Jim said, scratching the back of his neck. "Man, I ain't got time for this shit! I'm gonna be a dead black man soon if I don't that shizzle in my stomach soon!"

"What's the rush?" Kevin said. "I hear it's not all that bad being a zombie. Sure you got the slight inconvenience of being dead, but you get all the raw meat you can eat, and nobody ever asks you to pay for a bus ticket!"

"Man you a crazy ass fool!" Jim said.

"I share Jim's sentiment," George said. "I fear we cannot say how much Daylight will be created, or if there will be enough for all of us who are infected."

"I know there will be," Cindy said. "We just have to have faith."

"I hope you're right Cindy," George said.

Alyssa yawned as she leaned against a lab table.

"Ugh," she said dryly. "My eyes are freaking out on me."

"Yeah?" Kevin said.

"Yeah, cuz of sleep deprivation," she responded with a smile. "You only look half as stupid as you normally do."

Kevin laughed. "Touche'."

"I swear to God," she said, running her fingers through her hair. "As soon as we're out of this hellhole, I'm going to take the longest bubble bath I've ever taken in my life, and nobody is going to interrupt me for the next five hours unless they wanna be drowned."

"I love bubble baths!" Kevin said cheerily.

"If you play your cards right buster," Alyssa said slyly. "Maybe I'll let you join me…"

"Is that a date?" Kevin said with a smirk, to which Alyssa answered with only a wink. "I think I'm in love! I'll bring the cuffs…"

Yoko sat on the desk beside Alyssa, skimming through various papers she printed out from a computer in the laboratory. Alyssa glanced over to her and saw them.

"What are you doing, Yoko?"

"Oh, I, um…these are, documents about Umbrella, and the T-Virus."

"Could I have a look?"

"Okay."

Yoko handed the papers to Alyssa, who quickly read through them.

"Geez," Kevin complained while yawning. "Like waiting in line at the bank. I hate that."

"Yoko, would it be alright if you gave me these?" Alyssa said, still looking at the papers.

"Okay," Yoko responded. "Why?"

"This has all the dirt pinned on Umbrella; I want to expose them for what's happened, and this is just the proof I need. I know a man in New Haven City, a news reporter named Carl Graham, who works for a national news station. He's just the man to give that sort of exposure. Thanks Yoko."

"Your welcome." She said with a smile.

Towards the back of the room, George and Cindy stood by the window and stared out at the rising sun.

"Perhaps we will see tomorrow after all," George said. "I never imagined we would make it this far. And perhaps Daylight, the last hope of Raccoon City, will be the salvation we so desperately need."

"We're going to save lots of people," Cindy said.

"No," George said. "We are only giving them more time. Time is so very precious."

"George," Cindy said nervously.

"Yes?"

"Can I tell you, what I wanted to tell you before…can I tell you now?"

"Why?"

"I just want to."

"You can tell me after we've escaped."

"Please George, I want you to know."

"Nothing is going to happen, Cindy."

"I know, but still…"

"Very well then. What is it?"

"I love you, George."

George looked at Cindy silence, his face expressing nothing but maybe confusion.

"I'm sorry, but I do. I have since the first day we met, and even after I left the hospital. The day we kissed, I felt so guilty, that I was feeling lust. I went to church and prayed for the feeling to go away because it was wrong and evil. You were married, I had no right in doing what I did. But the feeling wouldn't go away, and I knew it was more than lust. I've wanted to tell you for so long now, I just couldn't bare it anymore. I love you George Hamilton. I love you."

Cindy put her hand out and grabbed George's hand. Her hands were soft. For a moment George let his hand rest in hers, but soon he pulled them away.

"I'm sorry Cindy," he said, shaking his head and putting his hand to his forehead. "This is so very sudden, I, I don't know what to say or do. Please, give me some time to process this."

Cindy's face saddened quickly, an inner hurt evident in her eyes at George's sudden with drawl to her confession. Her fears were confirmed.

"I'm sorry," Cindy said, a tear slowly welling up in her eye. George felt compelled to comfort her, but instead he turned around to face away from her and stare at the floor. She crossed her arms as if to embrace herself, her heart sinking, as she turned away from him as well.

David and Mark sat on the floor near a locked door beside the incubator, David poking the floor boards with his dagger.

"Where you learn ta' use that, son?" Mark said. "You too well learned in th' ways a' the knife ta' be a simple plumber."

David hesitated, then spoke. "Old man in the mafia, showed me the ropes to be a trained killer. First thing he showed me was how to use my hands, then a knife. Said only the sloppiest contract killers needed guns, and a man with a skilled hand only needs a knife to defeat an army. I could still hear his voice, back when I used to have dreams."

"Yo don' sleep?"

"Not anymore."

"Why?"

"Because of the dreams. Always the same."

"What were they like? If you don' mind me pryin'."

"We're gonna die anyway," David said with a smirk. "The dreams…all I can remember is they were all the same. Somebody I killed was climbing out of his grave, his eyes all white, no pupils, his wound still bloody…that horrible moaning for revenge, for justice. This whole fucking night has been a reliving of the nightmare. I was beginning to think maybe I'd fallen asleep for good, and the dream had become reality, that not even my insomnia could save me from it now. All those people I killed. And for what? To be left in the slammer for nearly 10 years, half my fucking life wasted. And now here I am with you jokers, waiting to die."

"Ah have the same dreams too," Mark said.

"Hm?"

"Yeah. Only it ain't jus' people ah killed, it's soldiers on the field a' battle from my platoon. Ah see their eyes, hear their voices, so clear an' empty, smell that aroma a' death that so permeated th' jungles a' Vietnam. Ah hear them cryin' out ta' me, askin' for mah help, an' I try as hard as a can ta' find em', but ah'm runnin' in slow motion, like mah bodie's under water. And all those Vietnamese soldiers ah killed, the horror. I can still smell the burning corpses in that hellish bonfire."

"I know that smell," David said. "Too well. I got rid of a contract once by burning them alive. I can still smell their cooking flesh, hear their screams."

"Ah ain't had a good night's sleep in almost 10 years. Most I kin get is maybe 3 hours a' sleep, rest a' the time ah'm pretending so my wife don' suspect nothin'. Ah fell asleep on th' way here, but this time a' dreamt a' Bob…an' Jerome…"

David and Mark sat in silence.

"I nodded off too," David finally said. "And I thought about that little girl in the hotel…she was so young."

"It ain't right," Mark said. "Children ain't…supposed to die…"

Mark began to sob and his eyes to well up.

"Ah'm sorry, ah promised mahself I wouldn' do this again."

David looked over to him and felt something he hadn't in a long time. Sympathy. Understanding. He had never met anybody else who had killed a man and regretted it, much less someone who also dreamt about it. David put one arm on his shoulder.

"It's alright Chief," he said. "It's gonna be just fine."

"Pffth, Maul'd whoop that raggedy haired monkey's ass," Jim said. "No contest."

"Lemme guess, cuz he's got that black face paint?"  
"No cuz he whoops ass from this galaxy to the next with his double sabers bee itch!" Jim wove his arms around making the "zoom zoom" sound that accompanied the light sabers in the movies.  
"Please," Kevin said. "You can't beat a Canuck with unbreakable claws, adamantium bones, healing factor, and a really pissed off demeanor! Plus Wolvie is and always will be the coolest, much more than that dress wearing ninny that died after one fight with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon."  
"It was two-on-one! Two white boys tryin' to keep a man down, literally! Down the damn shute after cuttin' him in half!"  
"Oh please, save the Rodney King drama for your momma!"  
"And here I thought I was hanging around with real men," Alyssa said with her arms crossed. "Not pimply faced teenagers arguing about comic book heroes."  
"C'mon Wonder Woman," Kevin said, turning to her. "We're just killing time until that thing spits out somethin' good for us."

Suddenly the machine let out a click sound and a small clear tube emerged from a tiny slot on the machine filled with a white liquid. All eight survivors stood around the tube and stared at it.  
"Is that it?" David asked.  
"It would appear so," George responded.  
"Who gets to dig in first?" Kevin said.  
"Me! Make way for Jim!" Jim said, reaching out to grab the tube.  
"Careful," George said. "Don't be too eager. If you drop it it will destroy easily."

Suddenly another tube emerged right behind the other tube.  
"Shit, looks like we got plenty to spare! Gimme!"  
George grabbed both tubes.  
"We supposed to drink it or somethin'" Mark said.  
"No, I'm afraid that would have no effect," George said. "The liquid must be injected directly into the blood stream in order to cure the infected cells. We need something to inject them with. I believe…yes." George rummaged through the various items on the table and grabbed a small, almost gun like device.  
"This is an ampoule shooter," George said, holding it up. "We may be able to somehow insert this and inject each of us using this."  
"Phew, glad I didn't get infected," Kevin said.  
Suddenly the machine's normal purring came to a stop and the room was plunged into silence. Everyone turned to the incubator, which stopped functioning.  
"What happened?" Mark said.  
"The incubator!" George said, looking over the entire machine.  
"Looks like the power is out," David said. "How do we start it up again?"  
"I, I don't know," George said.  
"What the fuck's goin' on man? What is this shit, huh?" Jim said, beginning to panic.  
"Calm down Jim," Kevin said. "I'm sure it's no big problem."  
"No big problem?! Shit man!" Jim said, throwing his cap. "I'm turning, I can feel it! Give me the potion George, now!"  
"Please calm yourself Jim, I-"  
Suddenly Jim grabbed Alyssa's gun out of her hand before she could realize what was going on and pointed it at George.  
"Okay, I didn't wanna do this, but…"  
Jim suddenly turned his head towards Kevin and aimed at him.  
"Gimme that gun!" Jim yelled, the gun shaking in his hands.  
"Jim, don't do this," Kevin said, pleadingly. "Just calm down."  
Jim suddenly fired a shot into the air, startling everyone.  
"Don't tell me to calm down dammit!!" Jim screamed, sweat dripping from his forehead. "I've been through fuckin' zombies, damn skinless monsters wit their brains showin' an' shit, those predator lookin' mothah fuckahs, dead dogs, oh and did I mention, MORE fuckin' zombies?! A black man can only TAKE so MUCH! Now GIMME your cannon Kev-O! Don' make me shoot you!"  
Kevin frowned and painfully slid his .45 across to Jim, who picked it up and tucked it in his pants.  
"Now put that shit on the table George, or I'll blow your ass to kingdom come!" Jim said, aiming the gun at George, who quickly complied, placing the shooter and the two tubes on the table. Jim stuffed the tubes into his pocket along with the shooter.  
"Bet I'll make some good cash sellin' this extra one!" Jim said.  
"You pathetic excuse for a human being!" Alyssa yelled, enraged and beginning to advance towards Jim, although Kevin stopped her with his hand. "How can you do this to us?! It's because of all of us that you even made it this far!"  
"I thought that for a second you might have had some balls Jim," Kevin said. "But now we know what kind of man you really are."  
"Yeah, the kind that's gonna get outta this shit alive, and rich!" Jim said. "Looks like my luck's finally changed! And now it looks like it's time for Jimbo to get the hell outta here. You can all just fuck yourselves, bitches!"  
Jim began to walk out of the room when he passed by Yoko.  
"Jim, please," Yoko said. "Don't do this."  
Jim's expression changed a bit, guilt in his eyes. "Sorry my Asian Princess, but you got ta' look out for number one if you plan ta' make it in this world."  
Yoko drooped her head sadly. Jim turned his head away to avoid looking at her disappointed face and walked out of the room, locking the door behind him.

"I KNEW I should have plugged that sorry bastard when I had the chance!" Alyssa said, clenching her fists tight. "You see? If I had done that, we wouldn't be where we are now!"  
"Maybe you're right," Kevin said bitterly. "I was beginning to think he wasn't such a bad guy."  
"What now?" David said.  
"I heard something click behind this door," Cindy said, motioning towards a door at the back of the room. She turned the knob and saw it slowly open.  
"Looks as if the power outage has unlocked the door," George said. "Let's see where this leads us."  
The group entered the next room, which resembled something out of a bad horror movie. Hung on hooks were several bodies of the hunter creatures that invaded the RPD and lying on the operating tables were various corpses of zombies, university professors, and even a UBCS soldier.  
"Ugh, disgusting," Alyssa said, looking at one of the Hunter's bodies.  
"Keepin' their prey as trophies," Mark commented.  
"Waiter! There's a lizard in my soup!" Kevin commented. "They're even uglier when they're dead."  
"This is inhumane," George said. "But let us proceed."

The group stepped through a large clear plastic curtain that lead to an empty laboratory room, save for a large computer console at the back of the room.  
"A computer," George said.  
"Maybe it will be of help," Cindy said.  
"I doubt it…" a voice said from behind the computer.  
Greg suddenly stood up from his position sitting behind the desk in a revolving chair. He walked around the computer and stood in front of the group as he spoke.  
"I have to admit I misjudged all of you," he said. "I did not expect all of you to make it here, not in one piece anyway."  
"What are you talking about?" Alyssa said.  
"I have been monitoring your progress from here," Greg said. "I watched as you gathered the chemicals needed to create Daylight, the salvation of this horrid plague that has befallen this city. It is because of Umbrella that this has happened, and it makes me content to see mere civilians get the better of them. Your will to survive, your drive, your teamwork has impressed me. If any people in this entire wretched city ever deserved to survive such a catastrophe, it would certainly be all of you. But, I'm afraid I cannot let that happen. I shut down the incubator that creates the Daylight. I cannot let you take it."  
"What? Why, Greg?" George said.  
"George, my old colleague," Greg said. "You see George, Umbrella has sent their soldiers here to find me, to put an end to my life's work, and certainly to find the cure for the T-Virus that Peter worked so hard to create…so hard he gave his life for it. It did sadden me to have to kill him, but I'm afraid it was the only way to avoid the creation of the Daylight. You no doubt have met Thanatos."  
"The monster that attacked us," Yoko said.  
"Hmph," David commented. "He got lucky."  
"He is NO MONSTER!" Greg said angrily. "He is an entity all unto his own, a masterpiece! So unique, so beautiful…so perfect in all senses of the term! I was born unable to bear children, and for so long I believed that I was cursed, that the sins of my fathers had brought upon me a darkness I could not overcome. But instead, God gave me the knowledge and gift of life, he allowed me the talent to breath life into a once non-living human being, and allow it to thrive and meet its greatest potential! Thanatos is, in a sense, my son. My blood runs through his veins, and his through mine, because it was my pain, my tireless effort, that allowed him to live. Umbrella came to take him away, but they failed. They underestimated his power and my genius, just like everybody else in the days at this wretched University. You doubted me as well George, but now I've become greater than you EVER could hope! And that Daylight, the cure to the T-Virus, is the only thing that can destroy Thanatos. The one thing that can destroy my creation, my gift to the world, my legacy on this planet!"  
"Nice going dumbass," Alyssa said. "The Daylight just took off with that coward."  
"I have no need to worry of him," Greg said. "I have seen his behavior, there isn't an honorable tendon in his body. I doubt he'll even figure out how to use it. But all of you, on the other hand, are very capable of using it against my son. And I cannot allow that. I've already destroyed the inner mainframe of the incubator…there will be no more daylight for any of you."  
"Dammit Greg! You're insane!" George said.  
"Insanity is a convenient label the foolish of mind place upon the truly genius," Greg said. "Never in my life has my mind been more certain."  
"That's it," David said, unsheathing his survival knife. "This ends now, you piece of shit."  
"Let's fuck this jackass's world up, David," Alyssa said, beginning to advance and followed soon by Kevin and Mark. But no sooner did they get half way towards Greg did he pull out a handgun and aimed it at them.  
"You forget that the power is in my hands now," Greg said. "And I did not plan on allowing you to leave. You know too much, all of you do, and there is still a chance you can tell somebody about what I've done here and reveal myself. Then I will be forced to take Thanatos away from here, and I cannot possibly manage that. I'm afraid each and every one of you, will have to die."  
"At least let those of us who are not infected leave," Cindy pleaded. "They have no reason to hurt you or Thanatos. Please!"  
"She's right," George said. "Let those of us infected stay, we shall perish soon, but please allow Kevin, Alyssa and Yoko to leave. They have no reason to harm you."  
"Oh but I think they do," Greg said. "Especially the reporter, and certainly Yoko."  
Yoko began to look nervous.  
"You don't remember me, do you Yoko?" he said. "After what you've done, what you caused, I do not blame you for shattering what was left of your memory. You have had a great part in all this, this horror that has befallen us all. What you have done was beyond imagination, I cannot imagine you wanting to remember that. But if someday you do, it will be the end of my existence. I cannot allow you to survive."  
Greg then scanned the other survivors.  
"But you, mister police officer," Greg said, pointing at Kevin. "I have no reason to keep you here. You do not appear to be much of a threat. Perhaps, you can go."  
"No way," Kevin said. "I'm not leaving without everybody in this room going with me. Except you, you can burn in hell for all I care."  
"Hmm," Greg said, rubbing his chin with his empty hand. "Your devotion to these individuals is quite admirable. You must have been a fine police officer."  
"I AM a fine police officer," Kevin said. "And it's my job to take trash like you out to the curb and leave it in the garbage bin where it belongs."  
Greg laughed. "You amuse me. I thank you for that. But now, I'm afraid that means that you will be first….it is time to confront inevitability."  
Greg then slowly aimed his gun at Kevin, aiming directly for his chest, and pulled the trigger. The bullet exploded from its chamber and cut through the air like a knife, its course already defined and imminent. But a single factor, a single sudden choice, altered its destination as Alyssa stepped in front of Kevin and absorbed the impact in his place. At first she stood stunned, Kevin screaming behind her, and within a moment her legs grew weak and she fell to the floor, Kevin catching her in his arms.

"Fool," Greg said. "How touching. At least her death will be overwith soon. But have no fear, you will have your moment of glory; I will allow you to die with her."  
Greg aimed the gun at Kevin again, when suddenly a red laser reflected off of his glasses. "Hm?" he muttered, then looked up at the ceiling to see a Russian man, Nikolai, dressed in camouflage, aiming down at him with a rifle.  
"Farewell, comrade," Nikolai said as he pulled the trigger. The bullet from his gun shot downward like an eagle shooting down at a snake, and it cut through Greg's right eye, ripping and shredding through his iris and into his brain, then exploding out the back of his head in a shower of blood and gore. Greg's lifeless body then slumped to the ground as he died instantly. Nikolai then saluted Greg in a mocking tone and pressed a button on a small blinking device at his knees. "Time for your glorious farewell, my friend. None will survive." He then quickly left as the bomb he left behind blinked violently.  
Kevin held Alyssa in his arms.  
"Well, shit," she said, cringing in pain. "I…can't believe, I did that."  
"It's alright, don't talk," Kevin said, holding her hand. "Where were you hit?"  
George walked up to Alyssa and examined her wound.  
"Can ya' help me, doc?" she said.  
"Oh no," George said. "The wound is too deep. It's only inches from her heart. I-that is, what I mean is…"  
"Give it to me straight George," Alyssa said. "I can handle it, I'm a big girl."  
"It's a fatal wound Alyssa," George said. "I cannot operate. You don't…have, a lot of time…"  
"No," Kevin said, shaking his head. "No no, you can't say that. We're so close to getting out of here. Do something George, you HAVE TO!"  
"I'm, I'm sorry Kevin," George said, standing up.  
"Alyssa no!" Cindy said.  
"I can't believe, this is actually happening," she said as she coughed. "This is it. My final sign off."  
"No," Kevin said again. "You hafta make it outta here. C'mon, I'll carry you if I have to."  
"Save it," Alyssa said. "I'd rather…die, than be carried out of here like some damsel in distress."  
"Please Alyssa," Kevin pleaded, his eyes beginning to well up. "You can't die. You can't!"  
Alyssa saw the pain emerge in Kevin's eyes, and her tough exterior melted away. Never in her life did she experience somebody care about her enough to cry, much less a man. She suddenly felt overcome with grief, and her eyes began to well up as well.  
"Alyssa, please, let's just try. You have to make it. You're too strong not to!" Kevin said.  
"C'mon Kevin," Alyssa said, putting her hand against his cheek. "I've had my days in the sun. It's time for you to go keep having yours."  
"No! No I can't! I, I still have to save you, to return the favor."  
"But you did, Kevin. I've never met anybody like you, ever, in my life. I used to hate everybody because I didn't think they could be trusted, but I know better now. You showed me that not all people are assholes, that there are some people in this world, worth…living for. And worth, dying for."  
Alyssa coughed again, this time blood shooting from her mouth against Kevin's chest. Tears began to run down her face as pain coursed through her body.  
"I don't wanna die…"  
Kevin held Alyssa close to him, and she returned the embrace as tears ran down his face and into her hair. He then held her head in his hands.  
"C'mon tiger, give mama some sugar before she goes." She said with a weak smile, to which Kevin responded with a weak smile of his own, then slowly pulled her towards him and kissed her on the lips. They both closed their eyes and lived in the moment until Kevin pulled back again and held her face tenderly, her arms around his shoulders.  
"How was it?" Kevin said.  
"I've had better." She said with a smile. "See ya' later, cowboy…"  
Alyssa's eyes then slowly closed as she lay her head sideways against Kevin's shoulder, looking as peaceful as a child resting its tired head into bed. Kevin looked down at her, then shook her.  
"Alyssa….Alyssa…."  
Alyssa did not respond. Kevin put both arms around her head and pulled her close as Cindy cried into George's shoulder and Yoko covered her face in Mark's arm. More and more tears ran down Kevin's eyes, which he shut in utter agony. He then let out a horrid scream, his lungs nearly bursting, and cried against Alyssa's forehead, his tears running down her face, which looked serene, very much unlike all the other dead faces he had seen. For the first time ever, even in her entire life, Alyssa looked at peace.  
Kevin cried for what seemed like hours until Mark finally crouched down with him and put his arm around him.  
"Let's go son," he said. "Don't let her sacrifice be in vain."  
Kevin looked up at Mark, then back at Alyssa's body. He slowly lay her head on the floor, then bent over and kissed her lips again. Mark removed his jacket and lay it over her face as Cindy tried to say a prayer, sobbing and weeping the entire time. George found an automatic door at the back of the room and motioned for the others to follow. Each of them did except for Kevin, Yoko and Mark, none of which took their sight off of Alyssa's body.  
"If she doesn't go to heaven," Mark said. "There is none."  
"She's too good for heaven," Kevin said.  
"Let's hurry," Mark said.  
"Thank you, Alyssa," Yoko said with a tear in her eye.  
Mark and Yoko left the room as Kevin took one last look at Alyssa's body and stepped through the door.


	23. Chapter 23

23. Vengeance, Annihilation, Thanatos

The survivors walked across the steel platform that lead to a long steel ladder and began climbing down. As Kevin approached, his knees went weak under the weight of his body and nausea got the best of him. He fell to his knees, grabbing the railing of the platform and cried, holding the ID tag he took from Alyssa's, her face staring back at him. Yoko grabbed him by his arm.

"Alyssa…" Kevin said.

"Please, Kevin," Yoko pleaded. "We have to hurry. You need to make it."

"We're almost there son," Mark said. "No use givin' up now!"

With Yoko's help Kevin stood up and grabbed the ladder.

Back in the empty laboratory, Thanatos's immense body stepped through the plastic curtain, carrying a dead UBCS soldier with one hand. He scanned the room and sniffed the air and recognized the familiar aroma of blood. Once he set his eyes to the middle of the room, he saw Greg's body slumped backward, blood oozing from his head. Thanatos slowly walked over to it and kneeled down, pushing it with his hand like a curious animal. He tried to mumble something but only let out a low grunt. He began to shake Greg's body with his hand. He wasn't moving. He saw the large wound in his eye and began to realize what had happened. He grabbed Greg's body and lifted it into his arms, cradling him like an infant, while embracing him tenderly, rubbing his cheek against Greg's head. He let out what sounded at first like sobbing, which quickly turned into an enraged, inhuman roar that shook the walls of the room. Thanatos then placed Greg's body on the floor and clenched his immense fist. Anger was a new emotion for him, the floodgates of emotion having been ripped open without warning, and all the adrenaline in his body pumped through his veins at once as his exposed heart began to beat furiously, its loud thump thump thumping sounding like a large drum. He stood up and turned his head sideways to the door, smelling traces of human flesh.

The group traveled three stories down until reaching a tunnel, which they followed until they reached a door that was locked on their side. They unlocked it and stepped through to find themselves in the same hallway Yoko watched the UBCS soldiers get slaughtered, only this time the hall was completely congested with zombies wearing lab coats and business suits. A beeping device beside them indicated that there were only minutes left until the bombs would go off.

"What now?!" Mark said.

"We'll have to go around," George said.

They turned towards a door on the other side of the hallway, only for the entire wall in front of them to burst open, concrete and steel flying across the room creating a gaping hole. From that hole entered Thanatos, his normally vacant and pupil-less eyes now filled with rage. He looked over at the group, his chest heaving, and began to approach.

"Or not…" David said.

"We have no choice now! We MUST go through them!" George said. "Everybody, GO!"

George ran into the wave of zombies that stood behind them and shoved his way through. Mark followed, using his strength to overpower them and clear a way for Cindy and the others. David slashed and sliced at them as Kevin kicked them until they had gotten halfway through the sea of undead that cluttered the hallway, Yoko ducking and crawling between them. Thanatos saw this and let out a great bloodlust roar, then sprinted forward and swiped the zombies with his hand, sending them flying against the wall. The others then began to attack him, their attention distracted away from the survivors, as Thanatos ripped and clawed through the mass of cadavers, spraying blood from left to right and swatting them like flies. The group finally made it through the crowd and to a door on the other side, zombies clinging all over Thanatos's body. The survivors stepped through the door and ran to the center of the plaza as Thanatos began to sprint towards the door behind them, but before he could reach it the university suddenly burst into flame as the bombs on each floor exploded in unison, causing the university to collapse into itself and the ceiling to fall on top of Thanatos's body.

Each of the survivors stared up in awe at the sight they had seen, the heat from the explosion nearly burning their skin despite their keeping their distance. After the fire subsided they scanned the plaza, where the various gored and bloody UBCS soldiers' bodies lay scattered throughout.

"Great, so what now?" David said, looking at the others.

"The daylight…it's gone," George said. "That means it's, over."

"No, it isn't," Mark said. "Yoko and Kevin, they ain't infected yet. We kin still get them outta here alive, an' we got to."

"Well, this sucks," Kevin said, grabbing his arm, a drop of blood dripping from his hand.

"What's wrong?" Cindy said, approaching him and inspecting his wound. She gasped. "Oh no! Kevin, no!"

"One of those undead sons of bitches, in the hallway…argh…dammit! I was so close….Alyssa, I'm, sorry…"

"Kevin, I, I'm so sorry." George said.

"Yoko, are you still okay?" Cindy said.

"Yes, I'm alright," she said.

"Then…we must find a way, to get you out of here," George said.

Suddenly a radio transmission could be heard from one of the dead UBCS soldier's body. Mark walked over to it and picked it up to listen.

"Can anybody hear me? Do you read, over?"

"Ah hear ya'," Mark said. "Over."

"Where are you? We picked up a weak signal, we're looking for survivors. Over."

"There are eight…" Mark paused. "Six…of us. We're at the University, it just went up in flames. We need a transport outta here, on the double! Over."

"There's a courtyard behind the university, go there, we will meet you there. Hurry. Over and out."

"Le's get you home Yoko," Mark said. "Maybe this whole mess won't have been for nothin' after all. Everybody take a weapon, who knows what we'll meet on th' way there…"

The survivors picked up weapons from the soldiers' bodies, including an assault rifle, a grenade launcher, and various handguns, then trekked across the plaze to a single door that lead to a large shipping area where an immense semi truck sat, its flat bed stretching across the entire area. They climbed over it and crossed it to the other side. George noticed Kevin's silent demeanor and glanced over at him to see him still holding Alyssa's tag in his hand. George then looked at Cindy, who was standing beside him, and suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand, which caught her by surprise.

"All this way just to die," David said. "Sounds like the ending to a bad novel to me."

"I'm afraid you're right David," George said, his normally optimistic demeanor waning.

"It weren't for nothing," Mark said. "Don' you understan' that Yoko is still alive? If in all this mess we can git at least one a' us outta here, then I's worth it in mah eyes."

"Mark's right," Cindy said. "Even after all this, we have to remember that there will always be hope, and right now that hope is Yoko."

"Thank you, everybody," Yoko said shyly.

Kevin pocketed Alyssa's tag, placing it in his back pocket near his butt. "Hope you're comfortable there baby," he said with a weak smirk. "This'll hafta do until we're together again in that bubble bath in the sky."

The group walked until they saw a door near the back of the area.

"This leads to the courtyard just past a series of platforms," George said. "Let's hurry, before,"

Suddenly a large object fell from the sky and landed in front of them, blocking the door. It stood straight up and looked at them. It was Thanatos, one of his arms having been destroyed, his body burned and charred to a crisp, but he had grown in height, muscle, and mass, half of his face completely burned to the point the skin had melted off. Thanatos roared at them and began to take slow, labored steps toward them.

"No not now!" George yelled.

"We were so close!" Cindy said.

"You again?" Kevin said, raising his assault rifle. "I admire your persistence, but…I'm SICK of this shit!!"

"Time to DIE mother FUCKER!!" David said, unsheathing his knife and wielding a desert eagle.

"You can't beat us! Not now!" Mark said as he cocked his shotgun.

David charged ahead of the others like a wild man only to be backhanded across the room against a locker, leaving a large dent. He shook his head and watched Thanatos lift his large arm to pierce through his body until the others opened fire on him, pulling his attention away.

"This way you ugly mothah!" Kevin said.

Thanatos then took an incredible leap across the area and swiped at Kevin, barely missing him but knocking him back. Mark then fired his shotgun into Thanatos's back, stunning him for a brief second, but soon Thanatos turned around and approached Mark, who unloaded on him with little affect despite leaving large wounds on Thanatos's body, which quickly seemed to heal themselves. Kevin meanwhile climbed onto the bed of the back of the semi and kneeled down, taking aim. As Thanatos raised his arm to strike Mark Kevin took a shot, hitting him in his heart. Thanatos then let out a shrill scream of agony and turned towards Kevin.

"The heart!" Kevin said. "Aim for the heart!"

Thanatos then shoved Mark aside with his hand, then sent it towards Kevin's direction. Kevin leaped off the back of the truck, just barely dodging Thanatos's attack, which ripped the truck nearly in half. Mark ran across the area as Thanatos pursued, swiping horizontal as Mark dove onto his chest, Thanatos's immense claw barely missing but instead leaving a large scrape against the concrete wall in front of him. Mark stood up and fired a round off only to be kicked hard against the tough, cement wall, stunning him. Kevin fired a few rounds off to get the monster's attention, and Thanatos responded by swiping the concrete wall, sending large blocks of cement in Kevin's direction. Kevin rolled sideways, barely dodging one of the large boulders. He tried to stand up, but found his rifle had been pinned under the boulder. He moved to run but Thanatos dropped his large arm down directly in his path, then swung it like a bat into Kevin's chest, sending him reeling against a steel gate. Kevin shook his head and looked up at Thanatos, who stood over him as if gloating.

"Guess this is it," Kevin said as Thanatos raised his arm.

Suddenly an acid round flew through the air and smacked Thanatos on the side, its impact burning his already charred flesh. He turned his attention back to George, who held the grenade launcher in his hand. He leaped across the area, dodging another grenade round, and shoved George to the ground with the palm of his hand. Cindy screamed in terror and laid down on top of George as Thanatos raised his foot to crush both of them.

"Hey, ugly," David said. "Take a gander over here. Got a present for ya'."

Thanatos turned around to see David kneeling down near the locker he had been thrown against, brandishing a large rocker launcher.

"Eat shit and die," David said as he pulled the trigger, sending a rocket soaring through the air, which exploded directly against Thanatos's chest. Thanatos screamed, blood pouring from his mouth like a fountain, then dropped to his knees as his body became engulfed in flames, then dropped face first to the floor and remained motionless.

David dropped the rocket launcher and fell backward in exhaustion. Kevin and Mark approached, both of them limping, and helped David get to his feet as Cindy and Yoko helped George up. They all looked down at the large creature that fought so valiantly and ruthlessly, still showing both fear and respect at its sheer awesomeness.

"You gave us one hell of a fight," David said, blood trickling down his forhead.

"You got lucky this time pal," Kevin said, wiping blood from his mouth.

"Poor miserable creature," Mark said, his shoulder bleeding again, its wound having reopened.

"What horrors mankind has brought us," George said, blood running down his head and onto his neck. "Why did he pursue us so?"

"He's just an insane psycho monster," David said.

"No, I don't think it's that simple," George said. "Greg said he was like his son. It must think that we killed him. It must think that…we, are the monsters."

"Hmph." David muttered.

"Well, he's dead now," Kevin said, kicking Thanatos's head. "Too bad I'm infected, or I'd carve his ass and hang it over my fireplace!"

"Let's keep movin'," Mark said. "Ah can hear a chopper nearby."

The survivors walked past Thanatos's body and broke through the sealed door that lead to the courtyard. Unbeknownst to the group, one of Thanatos's pale eyes suddenly opened, and his leg began to move.


	24. Chapter 24

24. Choice/Decisions, Decisions

Jim stepped out into the parking lot of the Raccoon University and made his way to the police van the rest of the group had arrived in. He looked around it a bit.

"Shit, the cop must have the keys," he said. "Ah well, vans ain't exactly my way to roll anyway."

He searched the parking lot and found a single car sitting alone, then approached it and grabbed the door handle to find it unlocked.

"This really must be Jimbo's lucky day!" he said with a smile.

Jim then sat in the driver's seat and inspected an area under the steering wheel.

"Been a long time since I done this shit, let's hope I don't shock my ass to kingdom come!"

Jim then began to hotwire the car, removing the panel and twisting the wires until sparks flew and the car sputtered to life.

"Shit yeah! That's what I'm talkin' bout! Vegas, here I come!"

Jim took out the ampoule shooter and daylight, laying them on the car seat. He then sat staring at them, then at himself in the mirror, and began fixing his orange, short cut hair.

"Man, I don' even remember th' last time I hotwired a car. Musta been that night I spent in the slammer."

Jim suddenly found himself caught up in a whirlwind of memories. That night he had stolen a car and crashed it, injuring two innocent people and severely injuring another. He was arrested and spent the night in jail, waking up the morning after on the cold concrete bed with the after effects of a night of drinking emit from his mouth. His parents had refused to pay the bond for his behavior, and left him there for an entire day. He remembered wondering what had happened to the people he hurt, as he had only heard that one of them was in the ICU and the others were hurt. He hated the idea of somebody else suffering because of his stupidity, but he didn't want anyone to know that.

After another night Jim began to get nervous, feeling as if he was never going to get out. He was afraid, he wasn't used to being locked up anywhere. But soon enough a guard approached his cell and unlocked it.

"You're free to go kid," the guard said. "You got bail."

Jim was happy at first, but soon he realized his parents were going to give him hell for what he'd done, and he almost considered staying locked up, until he saw his grandfather's wrinkled face, his scruffy white beard, and his bald head staring back at him through the cell bars, not angry, not irritated, not even slightly annoyed, but smiling warmly. Jim burst through the door and hugged his bulbous belly, and his grandfather, Cleveland Chapman, wrapped his big arms around the boy as if he were his son. Jim loved his granddaddy, more so than his own parents, and was overjoyed to find he was the one who set bail for him.

The next few weeks were very difficult for Jim, who was quickly disowned by his own parents. They had tired of his shenanigans, and this incident would be the last straw. So his grandfather took him in and raised him like a son. He taught him morals, respect, and how to take care of oneself. He even helped Jim buy his first car, despite the fact he could barely afford it and would eventually have to trade it back in. For a long time Jim called his grandfather "Pa," feeling closer to him than he ever did to his real father.

But Cleveland was a sick old man, well down in his years, and was soon stricken to his deathbed. Jim tried to keep him optimistic, but Cleveland knew his time was running short and that inevitability would soon overcome him.

"Ah leave you wit' dis las' gift Jimbo," the tired old man said, revealing a bright, shiny coin in his hand. "It's mah lucky coin, ah had it fo years. Ah know that you got yerself a good heart son, an' ah tried mah best ta' teach you what I couldn' to mah own son, but sometimes you still don' know what it is you should do, an' I kin understan' that. Out there is a world where a black man cain't get no breaks for even a second a' the day, an' sometimes you don' think rationally an' you need a snap decision. This here coin has th' curls a fate twirled round it mah boy, don' laugh, it's true! It done bring me the best an' worst luck a' my life, it's guided me into the future until ah knew ah was ready ta' make my own decisions without it. Cuz tha's all life is Jimbo, decisions, the choices we make, an' you ain't well enough in yo years yet ta' know what decisions are right or wrong, but this will help you. Take it, please. It's my las' gift to you. Ah love you Jimbo, you know dat, an' ah'm sure some day you'll be ready to be a man, a true man, but in th' meantime, that coin will guide you through th' eight circles a' hell until you ready to make decisions on yo own. Ah love you Jim."

When Cleveland finally passed away, Jim had decided that it was better not to get too involved with people, deciding that it was best to look out for number one, and leave number two's ass in your dust. But he couldn't shake that look, that feeling of hurt he saw on Yoko's eyes. He didn't want to hurt anybody, he just wanted to live. Who can blame him for that? It's an instinct, he thought, a basic human principle that keeps you alive, and natural selection had picked him out of the bunch. Then he remembered Kevin's anger, his rage, the look of utter betrayal on his face. He remembered Cindy as well, he liked Cindy a lot, and thought she was one of the sweetest chicks he'd ever met; he felt bad that she had to go through all of this.

"Poor Cindy," he said. "I never wanted you to look like no zombie, you too pretty to be all dead an' shit."

He even thought of George, who had helped treat his wound and treated him with respect. And even though he didn't like Alyssa, he didn't like that somebody hated him so much, and a part of him wanted to change that.

"But still," Jim said to himself out loud. "Did I make the right choice, granddaddy? Am I still…a good person?"

He could almost hear his grandfather's beaming voice proudly declare "no."

"I'm not, ready to be a real man yet, am I?" he said, pulling out his coin, then looking over at the daylight sitting ominously on the car seat.

"Well, how about we leave it to fate then?" Jim said. "If it's heads, I go back to those fools and give em' one of the daylights. Just one! Brother's still gotta remember his own welfare! If it's tails, we skee daddle the fuck outta here an' don't look back for noone!"

Jim then climbed out of the car and twirled the coin around in his hand anxiously then positioned it between his thumb and finger, flicking it into the air. It twirled and spiraled around in mid-air as if it were never going to come back down, then landing heavily back into the palm of Jim's hand, which he flipped over and placed on the top of his opposite palm just under his knuckles. He looked down to see what had come up.

Tails.

Kevin, Yoko, David, Cindy, Mark and George entered the courtyard, each of them sitting down in exhaustion, George and Cindy checking each of their wounds. Cindy touched David's arm, to which he grunted loudly in agony.

"Your arm," Cindy said. "Is it broken?"

"What's the difference?" David said. "We're just going to die. Why do you care if it's broken or not?"

"I, well," Cindy said. "Because, that's all I know. I love people, even if they don't like me, and I don't want to see anybody hurt."

"Hmph," David said. "I envy you."

"Here," she said, pulling out her medical kit. "Let's help that arm."

"It might just be, dislocated," he said.

"Oh, okay," Cindy said. "What's that?"

"Hm?"

Cindy then twisted and popped David's arm back into place.

"Son of a-!" he uttered.

"There," she said.

"…..thanks…." David said, almost reluctantly.

Kevin sat against a pillar, staring at Alyssa's picture on her ID tag, and sighed. George approached him, kneeling down and sitting beside him.

"I'm sorry Kevin," he said.

"Don't be," Kevin responded sadly. "She gave up her life to try and save me, but now it's all for nothing."

"That's not true," George said. "She wanted you to survive, yes, but she also wanted you to go on living. Ever since her death, you've become so distant, and I know she wouldn't want that. She would want you to continue being the man she loved, because once that man is gone, only then would her sacrifice be in vein. She wanted to save the Kevin that saved all of us, because you did. I never imagined we would have been able to make it ALL this way without you to lead us. It was your bravery that gave us hope and kept us alive, and she died believing that the Kevin Ryman who saved us would go on living, don't disprove her."

Kevin stared at Alyssa's face in the picture, which he almost thought he saw wink back at him in that flirtatious manner he had so loved, and his signature smirk reemerged.

"You're right George," Kevin said. "Thanks."

"Your welcome," George said, patting his arm and moving to get up.

"Hold on a sec," Kevin said, grabbing George from his shoulder. "What're you gonna do about Cindy man?"

"Oh, I, um," George muttered incoherently.

"I know what's goin' on between you two," Kevin said. "I can see it, but everytime she tries to get close to ya' you back off. I don't know the details, but you really needa decide what you want. I know the way you are around her, I've seen it. Cindy is a great girl, you're lucky to still have her alive; she's right over there, man, you can even see her. I lost Alyssa George, don't even think about letting go of Cindy, not while you still have a choice, while there's still time."

"Time," George uttered to himself.

George stood up and looked over at Cindy, who had just finished placing a sling around David's arm and gone to check on Mark. George walked up to her nervously.

"Cindy?" he said.

"Yes?" she said, turning towards him.

"There's, something I have to tell you." He said.

"What is it, George?" she responded.

"I, that is, I,"

Suddenly the rumbling of a helicopter in the distance could be heard, and everyone got to their feet to look. The chopper then emerged over a building and slowly began to descend towards the courtyard. Everyone waved their arms into the air and called out, their voices drowned out by the copter's propeller. Just as it was over them, a large object leaped into the air and swiped at it, causing it to sway about, and suddenly Thanatos landed directly in front of the survivors and stood straight up, the copter swaying around in mid-air. All six of the survivors stayed back in shock and surprise.

"No way!" David said.

"This is BULLSHIT!" Kevin yelled.

"WHY NOW?!" George yelled.

"We were so close!" Cindy said.

Thanatos's body had seemed to grow even larger than before, and he swung his arm violently at an arc, striking all six of the survivors against the chest and flinging them backward. He then approached them and looked down at each of them, all of them down to a crawling posture, except for Yoko, who stood at the back of the group.

"Yoko! RUN!!!" Mark screamed.

"I can't leave you!" she said.

"You must Yoko, you must!" Mark screamed again.

Thanatos then stepped over the others and raised his arm. Yoko quickly ran forward and dove between his legs, then crawled to the other side. She began to run down the courtyard towards a barricade of police cars when Thanatos leaped into the air and landed directly in front of her. She fell backward, stunned from the surprise impact, and began crawling backward. Thanatos then put one foot down on her to keep her still and let out a roar, to which Yoko screamed.

"NO!!"

Suddenly the sound of a handgun being fired could be heard over the roar of the copter overhead, and a bullet pierced through the air and hit Thanatos in the back of the head, then bounced off like a ping-pong ball. Thanatos turned around to see Jim standing on top of one of the police cars brandishing a handgun, the ampoule shooter secured into his pants at the waist.

"Hey you Rumple Stilt Skin mothah fuckah!" he said. "Jimbo's here to save the day!"

Thanatos removed his foot from Yoko's body and turned towards Jim, letting out a vicious roar and bursting into a sprint. Jim fired off several rounds at him, all of which either missed or bounced off his now rock solid and crisp skin.

"Oh fuck me!"

Jim dove off the police car as Thanatos sent an uppercut swipe, sending the police car high into the air.

"Look out!" The second wingman in the copter screamed as the police car flew only inches from them, the pilot just barely weaving out of its way.

Jim got up and cursed as he ran to the side and fired what remained of his handgun bullets into Thanatos's back until the familiar click of an empty handgun emitted.

"Jim!" George said. "Use the ampoule shooter with the daylight! It's the only way to destroy him!"

"What?!" Jim said as Thanatos turned his attention his way.

"That…creature, is infected with the T-Virus, you have to insert the daylight into the shooter and give him an injection!"

"You expect me to stick that thing with this?!"

"Please Jim!" Cindy yelled. "It's the only way!"

Jim looked at Yoko, whose eyes were stricken with fear, then looked at the shooter and after a few seconds of fidgeting with it, inserted the daylight into a slot until it clicked.

"LOOK OUT!" Kevin yelled.

Jim looked up in time to see Thanatos's large arm swing towards him, smacking him across the head and sending him sliding along the floor, motionless.

"NO!" Mark screamed. "Jim, wake up!"

Thanatos then slowly trudged over to Jim's body and put his large arm around it, then lifted it up into the air, the arm still holding onto the shooter.

"What is he doing?!" David said.

Thanatos then peered at Jim's face curiously and let out a roar when Jim's eyes suddenly opened and he shoved the shooter against Thanatos's exposed heart.

"Surprise, bitch!" he said as he pulled the trigger, instantly injecting the daylight directly into his heart. The daylight traveled through Thanatos's entire body through every bloodstream as Thanatos let go of Jim, dropping him to the ground with a thud. Thanatos then began to utter sounds of anguish and sheer pain, dropping to his knees as his flesh began to swell and sputter a black liquid. He dropped to his hand and knees, the black liquid shooting out of his mouth, nose and seeping through his eye sockets. He stood himself up again in desperation, turning towards the others, but then stopped in his tracks as his heart suddenly burst and he fell to the floor face first with a vicious rumble, leaving cracks in the hard concrete floor of the courtyard and remained motionless as his body began to burn from the inside.

The group helped each other up, all of them looking at Jim in silence.

"You came back," Yoko said to him.

"Uh yeah," he said. "I mean, you didn't think ol' Jimbo was just gonna abandon yo asses did ya? Ya!"

Yoko then rushed forward and grabbed Jim from the waist and hugged him, which made Jim visibly embarrassed.

"Easy Yoko! You're crampin' my style, woman!" he said as she let go. "Hey, where's cyber bitch?"

Kevin frowned. "She…didn't make it."

"Oh…" Jim said. "Sorry, Kev-O."

"Yeah, me too." Kevin responded.

"They're coming back," David said, pointing to the copter, which landed just behind the police car barricade. The survivors advanced as a fireman emerged from the copter, which had a large slash from Thanatos's claws on its side.

"Is everyone alright?" the fireman said. "I saw what happened."

"We're, um, okay," George said.

"Actually we're fucked, but thanks for asking," David said.

"Well we have to see how many of you we can take with us, I just received word that they're going to bomb the entire city."

"What?!" Kevin said.

"They're declared Raccoon City a lost cause and they're going to nuke the whole damn city," the fireman said. "We don't have a lot of time, so we need to take as many as we can and hope the copter can stay together. Everyone else…"

"It's, alright," Kevin said. "Most of us are infected.

The fireman raised his eyebrow. "Oh."

"It looks like only Yoko is gonna be going," Kevin said.

"Wait a sec," Jim said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the vial of daylight. "Oh shit I forgot! It didn't get broken either!"

"You, still have the daylight?" George said.

"Well yeah," Jim said. "I, well, I forgot ta' try and take it when I decided to come back to you fools."

"Great," David said. "Now we get to argue over who's gonna take it and get the hell out of here."

Silence overtook the group.

"Or perhaps, we should look at this more in terms of, what would be best for the future," George said. "This daylight, if analyzed by the proper, trustworthy scientist, could be a salvation for all of mankind. I know they're destroying the city, but this virus, this outbreak, certainly it cannot hope to be so easily contained. Umbrella, whoever they are, must still have the T-Virus, and as long as the darkness of such a plague exists, so must a ray of light pierce the blackest chambers of its heart. And this single vial, the daylight, could be that single light of hope. If Yoko can take it, maybe she can find someone to replicate it and we will then have a cure to prevent another Raccoon City."

Nobody answered for awhile.

"I think George is right," Cindy said. "If we let Yoko take the daylight, we will be saving lots of people."

"Man I went through alotta shit to get that back here only to die!" Jim said. "I dunno what's with me, I'm getting' soft!"

"You're growing a heart and a pair of testicles," Kevin said, putting his hand on Jim's shoulder. "How's it feel to be a man? You get one of your pubes caught in your zipper yet?"

Jim proceeded laugh loudly. "Shut the fuck up fool! You gonna make me piss my pants!"

"It'd be an improvement!" Kevin said.

"Then if nobody objects, we will give Yoko the vial, and hope and pray that she can find somebody to make the best out of it," George said.

Nobody responded, confirming the group's decision. George walked over to Yoko and handed her the vial.

"We place our final hopes in your hands Yoko," George said. "Please do your best not to disappoint us."

"I won't," Yoko said. "Thank you all so very much."

"I can't believe this," the fireman said. "You're all sacrificing yourselves to save people you don't even know?"

"Tha's all we done all night," Mark said.

The group then escorted Yoko to the copter and watched her get inside.

"Yoko," Jim said. "Here."

Jim flipped his lucky coin to Yoko, who caught it clumsily.

"But this is your lucky coin, I can't take this Jim," Yoko said.

"No worries my Asian Princess," he said, waving his hand confidently. "Ol' Jimbo is zombie meat, I don't need it any more!"

"Well, guess this is it," Kevin said.

Yoko's eyes began to well up and she cried.

"Thank you all so very much," she said. "You don't even know who I am, and you've risked your lives to bring me all this way. I used to think that people were evil by nature, that humanity was a failed experiment and we all should be destroyed. But now…" she sobbed. "I wish you could come with us!"

"Hey kid," David said. "Don't shed tears for us, everybody's gotta die, might as well go out in a blaze of glory. Just keep on truckin'."

"Make sure you get that story published for Alyssa Yoko," Kevin said. "It's the least we can do for her."

"I will Kevin," Yoko said. "I promise."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," the fireman said. "But we have to go. There's isn't much time left."

"Okay," Kevin said.

"God bless you Yoko," Cindy said, holding her hands. "Please don't cry anymore."

"Godspeed to you Yoko," George said.

"I'll never forget any of you," Yoko said. "Not ever."

The six survivors stepped away from the copter and watched the propellers slowly spin to life, then lift the machine up into the air above their heads. Yoko waved to them sadly as they returned it with a wave of their own. Yoko kept her eyes on all of them until they were too small to see anymore and again began to cry.

An hour later, the group separated, with George and Cindy walking back to the plaza behind the University to watch the sea, Jim and Kevin lounging about the parking lot, and David and Mark sitting in the courtyard, Mark sitting silently on a bench and David leaning with his back against a pillar.

For awhile neither of them said anything, until Mark spoke up.

"You afraid to die, David?" Mark said.

"No," David responded coldly.

"Ah am," Mark said. "Or at least, ah used ta' be. But now ah've lost everythin', an' mah heart hurts so damn bad, ah feel like death is th' only good thing that kin happen ta' me."

"Sometimes I think that too," David said. "These nightmares, they won't let me sleep. But now that we're gonna die, maybe now, I can finally get some damn shut eye."

Mark laughed, then grunted in agony and held his chest. David turned his head to look.

"Hey, you okay, chief?" David said.

"Ah didn' wanna tell th' others," Mark said. "But, ah think ah've got some, internal bleedin'. Ah didn' wanna worry em'."

"Hmph."

"David," Mark said. "Thank you for helpin' me an' th' others, an' ah'm sorry if ah judged you in th' past. I's just, ah see a lot a' mahself, an' more mah son, in you. But you a good person, even if you don' like ta' show it. You an' me, we've taken lives, yes, we've killed people in cold blood an' had th' nerve ta' keep on livin' anyway. Maybe some a' th' people we killed had jus' as much right ta' live as we do, an' maybe they don'. But our nightmares are more than enough ta' remind us we got ta' change an' be good people. We cain't change the past, we kin only hope ta' find ourselves a better future. Ah only wish, Jerome…"

"I'm sorry Mark," David said. "I, said some things to you before, but they weren't true."

"No they were," Mark said. "You were right. Maybe ah messed up, maybe it is my fault Jerome is dead. But," Mark began to well up. "Oh gawd, Jerome, ah'm so sorry."

"Don't be," David said. "I know that he still loved you. He was your son, he had to. Don't let yourself go out believing otherwise. He wouldn't want that."

Mark began to cry, tears dripping down his face.

"Ah hope so David," he said, sadly. "Ah hope so. Maybe, if God finds me able enough, if how I've helped people since mah days in the war mean anythin', ah'll see my son again in heaven." A smile came across Mark's face, tears still rolling down his cheeks. "Ah kin see him now, so beautiful, all dressed in white, his wings spread out like a mornin' dove an' his halo bright as the stars in th' sky. So beautiful, mah son. Mah son…"

Mark let his head drop sideways against the wall and closed his eyes, then stopped moving. David turned his head to look at him, then stood straight and approached him.

"Mark?" he said. "Mark…Jesus, Mark."

He shook him, then placed his finger against his neck. There was no pulse. David found himself overwhelmed. He had seen many people die before, some of them his own doing, but not once did he feel anything for them until now. David wiped the streaks of tears that were left behind off his cheeks.

"Sorry old timer," he said, beginning to walk away.

Suddenly behind him he heard the sound of Mark shifting his weight and standing up.

"No…"

David turned around to see Mark's corpse rise to its feet and stare at him with its vacant, glazed over eyes.

"Dammit chief," he said. "Not this way. I didn't want to have to do this."

Mark slowly lumbered over to David, a heavy moaning coming from his open mouth and his large tree trunk arms outstretched. David reached into his pocket and raised his Desert Eagle, aiming it between Mark's eyes.

"Good luck getting into those pearly white gates, chief," David said. "Wish I could see ya' there, but God has no place for someone like me."

The gun weighed a thousand pounds in David's hand, which shook as if in fright, and his finger locked itself in place, refusing to pull the trigger. Mark was edging closer, and David let his hand drop down.

"No…" he said. "No more killing. I'm tired of it. I don't care if you are dead. No more…no more."

David tossed the gun to the side and waited for Mark to approach him.

"Go on buddy," David said, pulling his collar aside. "Dig in."

Mark grabbed David from the shoulders and sunk his teeth deep into David's neck.

Kevin sat on the hood of the car Jim had hotwired, loading and toying with his gun as Jim paced around outside.

"Man, I can't believe this shit," Jim complained. "I guess it was the right thing to do an' all, but I don't get nothin' for it! I mean I'm just gonna die, what good is that?!"

"It's called self sacrifice for the good of others," Kevin said sarcastically. "There's this really famous guy who did it once, don't recall the name though, but you probably wouldn't dig him."

"Man if you talkin' about JC I know all that crap, but shit, I woulda liked to go out with some fine honey or somethin'. I'd even settle for a lil' action with that reporter. I know she died on you an' all, but dayum, she was a bitch!"

"Yeah, she was," Kevin said. "That's what I loved about her."

Kevin pulled out Alyssa's ID tag again and stared at the image, wishing it wasn't just a picture.

"I'm sorry dog, I know you had the hots for her," Jim said. "In fact, I kinda wish she'd seen what I done, maybe she wouldn't have hated me as much, wouldn't have thought I was such a damn coward. Not anymore at least."

"It took guts and heart to do what you did Jim," Kevin said. "You made the right choice. And I know Alyssa saw it up there in heaven, so you got nothin' to worry about."

"Hope you're right bro," Jim said. "Wonder where I'll go when I die."

"I imagine limbo, cuz I can't see either place willing to tolerate you!" Kevin said.

"Shut up fool!" Jim said. "An' I don't care WHAT you say, Darth Vader can and WOULD beat the goddamn livin' SHIT outta Dracula!"

"Oh you're gonna start this again? Alright then!" Kevin said, sitting up in the car. "Holy shit."

"What?" Jim said, turning around.

Behind them in a large group was an army of hunters, which approached the university, their mind set on destruction.

"No way!" Jim said, standing outside of the car. "I don' believe this shit! Can't we die in peace?!"

"Never a dull moment around here," Kevin said, standing up on the roof of the car. "Hey Jim, you feel like playin' some monster destruction derby?" He cocked his gun. "Let's finish this…like men."

Jim looked up at Kevin and smiled. "Way ahead of you, brothah."

Jim jumped into the driver's seat and turned the car on as Kevin jumped into the passanger's side and hung out the window brandishing his .45.

"Feel like Starsky and Hutch!" Kevin said.

"Then hold onto yo ass Hutch," Jim said, stepping on the gas. "We gonna turn these mothas into mutant roadkill right the fuck now!"

"ROCK N' ROLL! YEEEEEHAW!" Kevin yelled as Jim spun the car around and drove into the oncoming swarm of hunters.

George and Cindy watched the warm rays of the slow streak over the serene waters of the ocean, the waves calm and peaceful, unaware of the destruction that was soon to be.

"Many think that time is like the waves in the ocean, always alive, always flowing into the future, stopping for nobody, and the best we can do is roll with it and hope for the best," George said. "But I don't believe that anymore. I think that time is simply a way of explaining the changes that have befallen us, just as fate is an easy way to explain completely natural and perhaps even random occurrences. But what really matters is not time, or even what happens to us, but the decisions we make with the power we have to make them with."

"I think you're right George," Cindy said.

"And I've finally made a decision," George said.

"About what?"

"To tell you the truth."

George grabbed Cindy's hands and placed them in his own.

"I love you Cindy. I didn't want to believe it, but I have loved you since the day we met. I didn't even realize it at first, because I've never felt that way for anybody before, not even Collette, and I didn't understand it. I've wanted to tell you for so long, but I was frightened that it was wrong, that it was some fantasy I wanted to see fulfilled, that what I felt was more a figment of my mind than a true state of my heart. But now I've found the courage to tell you. I love you Cindy Lennox."

Tears rolled down Cindy's eyes and her head dropped down, overwhelmed with emotion. She then stepped forward and placed her head against George's chest, which was warm and comforting. George then touched Cindy's face, lifting it up to meet his eyes with hers, and kissed her. Both of them embraced, their hearts beating against their chest almost in unison, the warmth of their breath brushing against each other's faces. They pulled apart and embraced again, tears running down both their eyes. They looked at each other again, George wiping the tears from Cindy's face and she doing the same for him.

"This is the happiest moment of my life," Cindy said.

"Me too," George responded. "If this is to be our final moment, I could not choose any other that would surpass it, or any other person to share it with."

Cindy put her hand on George's heart, which was beating fiercly.

"I'm feeling…strange." George said, taking ahold of her hand.

"Me too," Cindy said.

A slight rumbling that began to grow in intensity suddenly became apparent. They both looked up at the sky as large comets of fire fell from the heavens. George held Cindy in his arms as they both watched the balls of flame drop down to the earth.

"It's beautiful," Cindy said.

"Yes…"

All through the city the falling comets of hellfire burst and burned, sending immense tidal waves of death through the streets of Raccoon City. What was once broken, destroyed, and conquered by the darkness of the T-Virus was now decimated in a shower of destruction. The waves of flame shot through the city, incinerating every building, body, and any thing in its path. Cars were flung into the air like rocks and bodies spun about like rag dolls. One by one every square inch of the great city was engulfed in flame until there was nothing left but dust and flame. What was once seen as the single most peaceful and average city in the country was now a pile of rubble, the road sign declaring its population the only persisting trace, the only memory of its existence.

The copter that Yoko sat in was far from the city, but the brightness of the bombs was so bright it burned Yoko's eyes, even from that distance. She covered them until the explosion subdued enough for her vision to adjust, but soon found herself looking forward towards the direction the copter was facing, leaving Raccoon City behind and heading to the future.

"I can't believe it's all gone," the fireman said. "So many lives lost in one night, an entire city obliterated in a matter of seconds."

"It's a damn tragedy is what it is," the pilot said. "But at least we're still alive."

"Yes," Yoko said. "We're still alive."

Yoko thought about Jim, holding his coin in her hand, and about Alyssa, who had shown her such kindness and care. Kevin's humor, Mark's bravery and strength, George's calmness, Cindy's sweetness, David's darkness and his hidden goodness. They had given their lives and placed in her hands the hope of a better tomorrow, but she didn't feel burdened. She felt proud, but sad also, and wished she could give her own life to spare each of theirs. They didn't even know her, she didn't even know herself; but she decided from then on, that she would find out who she was, and make sure to live her life to the fullest, whatever it turned out to be. She would set out to remember her past and to deal with it, whatever it was, and to do everything they had asked of her.

"I might not remember who I am," Yoko said out loud to herself. "But I will never forget all of you."

She looked out of the copter and watched the valley before her, new and mysterious though it was, ready to face whatever it would bring her, ready to face herself.


End file.
